


Mad Worlds and Mad Towns

by PotatoesOfWorldlyDesire



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: AU, Angst, BDSM, F/M, Fluff, Fluffy, Kink, Kinky, MILD - Freeform, Pregnancy, Romance, Sex, Smut, UA, Unplanned Pregnancy, bughead - Freeform, varchie
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-06
Updated: 2019-06-19
Packaged: 2019-06-22 23:00:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 58
Words: 74,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15592680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PotatoesOfWorldlyDesire/pseuds/PotatoesOfWorldlyDesire
Summary: Riverdale AU. A lot of the plot is the same, and what I've changed is pretty self-evident. Lots of Bughead Fluff with some smut and some Varchie.Jughead gets a text from Betty at 4AM telling him she needs him over at her house right this second. What does she want? And why has she been crying?What happens when even the side of Riverdale you thought was perfect isn't what you thought it was?





	1. Chapter 1

'Talk to me?'

The text comes through on Jughead's phone at 4AM when he's just about to stop writing. Nerves flutter in his chest when he sees who it's from.

'What do you wanna about, Betty?'

The reply is instantaneous.

'Anything. I can't sleep. I feel like there's a million ants in my brain and they're all talking at once.'

Jughead isn't really sure how to respond to that. He hasn't seen his girlfriend since their last class together, earlier that day. 

'What's up?'

'I don't wanna talk about it.'

'Okay.' Jughead searches his brain for something to say. Something stress-less doesn't come as easily as it should to him, with the constant chaos tumbling around in their lives. 'Hot Dog is gonna be a father.'

'Oh really? Who's his baby mama?'

'Some rottweiler down on the trailer park, I hear she's a babe.'

'I bet.'

The conversation fizzles out much too easily, and Jughead wants to press further into his girlfriend's ant-ridden mind, but he doesn't. At least, he tries not to.

'What did you have for dinner?' He types desperately, not surprised when she ignores his question entirely.

'Jug?'

'Yeah?'

'You love me, right?'

'Of course, Betts. You know that. Why?'

'I think I need you tonight. Can you come to my window?'

Jughead looks at the clock. In less than four hours his school alarm will be going off. Oh well, He thinks, If I'm going to be sleep-deprived, I might as well be sleep deprived with Betty.

'I'm on my way.'

The walk through the chilly Riverdale suburbs wakes him further. What could Betty possibly want to see him for? Had something happened? Had he done something? Had Chic come back? 

He's walked himself into a flurry of anxiety by the time he climbs the ladder hidden in the bushes next to the Cooper's house- on indefinite loan from Archie- and knocks gently on Betty's window, wary of waking anyone else in the house up.

Almost instantly, her window opens and his cold lips are greeted with the warmth of hers. Her cheeks are pressed close to his, and he can feel moisture on them as she grabs his beanie and throws it behind her onto the bed. 

'B-Betty?' He never stutters. But Betty never texts him at 4AM. He never comes over at night. 'Are you oka-'

'Come inside, quickly.'

He obliges, quietly shutting the window before turning and seeing the room is dimly lit by Betty's bedside lamp and a couple strawberry-scented candles on her desk. However, that isn't what causes all his blood to rush down south and his jaw to drop open.

Betty is wearing significantly less than he was expecting- a black lace bra that makes her breasts look positively sinful, and black pyjama shorts. He notices a shiver run through her, and frowns. 'You must be freezing. What's up?'

'Nothing's up. Can't I just surprise you?' She sits Jughead on the bed and straddles him, pulling him down for another feverish kiss that leaves him breathless and makes even his confusion harder to process. 'Don't you want me, Jug?'

He sees her eyes are bloodshot, as though she's been crying, and notices the shake to her heavy breathing, as though she's just coming down from uncontrollable sobbing. 

'You know I do, Betts.' He takes off his jacket and puts it around her shoulders as she bites her lip and tries not to cry. 'But maybe not when you look like you're about to break down the second I touch you.'

Tears overwhelm Betty's cheeks once more, and she throws her arms around his neck and sobs so loudly he's concerned her parents will wake up and demand to know why their daughter is scantily clad and sobbing on his lap. Jughead has no excuse for whatever's happening, but he kisses her shoulder and runs his hands up and down her back. 

'Shhh, Betts. It's okay. I'm here for you. Please, just tell me what's up. Whatever it is, I'm sure we can figure it out together.' 

'I really, really didn't want to talk about it tonight. I-I just wanted you to touch me again before you found out-'

'Found out what, Betty?'

The question seems to throw her body into another spasm of sobs, so powerful his jacket falls off of her and all of a sudden his hands are on her naked flesh and she's warm and Jughead Jones the third is the owner of the world's most awkward boner that he's sure she can feel against her thigh. She sighs and relaxes slightly, hiccuping another sob. 

'I'm so sorry, Juggie. It's all my fault- I'm sorry-'

'Whatever it is, it's fine, Betty. I'm sure it's-'

'I'm pregnant.'

Jughead's heart stops in it's tracks.

Oh, Fuck.


	2. Chapter 2

'You... You're what?'

'Pregnant, Jug.'

'How? What?'

Betty fixes him with a hard stare and cocked brow. 'I really hope you know how.'

'And it's- you're sure-'

She looks offended as she clambers off of him and snaps, 'Of course it's yours, Jug. You're my boyfriend. Who else would be the- the-' She can't quite bring herself to say 'father' yet, so she just groans and buries her head in her hands, sat next to Jughead on the bed. 

Jughead fights the urge to wrap his arms around her, or reach behind him and put his beanie back on. Or run screaming through the window like some over-exaggerated cartoon character. Honestly, any option sounds better than continuing this interaction. His heart is beating too fast as his mind runs through every time they ever had sex- an action still so new he can count the number of times on his fingers.

'But, when-'

His face looses all expression as he remembers, his stomach dropping to his toes. 'Veronica's confirmation.'

Betty nods, not looking at him. 'Yep. That's all I can think it could be, too.'

'But- I mean- we used a-'

'A crappy condom from a vending machine? Yeah, I'm sure it was totally fine.'

'It had a kitemark on it. That means it should've been fine.'

'But I wasn't on the pill then. So, if it wasn't fine there was twice the-'

'Oh my god.'

'What?'

Jughead's face goes white. 'I thought that the leak was just where I pulled out when- I mean, I thought I'd done it-'

Betty's face scrunches up. 'When you took off the condom? Yeah, I remember you got it all over the bed.'

'My hands were shaking. I thought that was why it- ...Fuck, Betty.'

 

~.. FLASHBACK TIIIIIME ..~

 

'Good old Hiram Lodge... I wonder what he's planning for us, on the Southside.'

The two had gone back to FP's trailer after Veronica's confirmation, and had taken a seat on the sofa. Betty's white dress made her look a hell of a lot more innocent than she was feeling, and Jughead's beanie was off for the first time since their original break-up. Still, they sat an uncomfortable distance away from each other. A distance they both wanted to close.

'Maybe we can ask Veronica on Monday.'

'...Yeah. Maybe we should just investigate quietly, until we know more.' God, she's so pretty in this light. 

Betty's skin glowed faintly in the dim light, giving her the appearance of an angel, come to save him from the misery of being alone in his father's trailer. 

Betty nodded, avoiding eye contact, and Jughead continued:

'We haven't saved the trailer park yet. And I'm on 'probation' from the Serpents, whatever that means.' His voice broke slightly, 'Because of what I did to Penny...'

Jughead felt his fingers on his lap, squirming. He'd done such terrible things with his hands... Had he become so dark, so externally heartless that Betty would never touch him again? He hoped not. 

'We stopped her from coming back.' At this point he was talking to avoid the silence that lingered between them. 'And we got rid of Tallboy.' He looked over to Betty and say her smiling at her hands, curled on her lap. 

'We,' she said, almost to herself. She chuckled and her smile lit up the room. 'It's nice to hear that again.'

'Look,' Jughead cracked once more, 'I'll be apologising for it for the rest of my life, but I'm sorry. I am. For feeling like I needed to shield you from what I was going through with the Serpents, or... My 'darkness'.' He scoffed at the idea- it sounded so silly, so juvenile, compared to what they'd just been through together.

'I can handle it.'

Their eyes met. A subtle smile rose on Betty's lips, the kind of smile that was almost scared to make a big deal of itself- a Mona Lisa type of smile. 

'I know. I know you can.' His voice was soft, softer than it was with anyone else. Jughead licked his lips; was it too soon to kiss her? Did he care if it was? Did she want him to?

Their eyes parted as they each looked at the floor, then at their own hands. Hands that felt empty and without company. Betty sighed.

'I should probably... Start heading home...'

'Or you could stay.' The words were out of Jughead's mouth before he could stop them- before he even knew what he was saying. But he didn't take them back. His heart beat faster as he looked over at her and he realised he actually meant it. 'Stay.'

His hand found hers on her thigh, and took it.

Their eyes met again.

Like a slow-burning electricity, Betty was on him, kissing him, and his hands were on her. Her hands on his cheeks and her fingers winding into his hair as he moaned and his tongue explored her mouth before she bit his lip and pulled him even closer. 

Jughead moved like a man possessed- his fingers finding the zip on the back of her dress and pulling it down, and then fumbling with her bra. Her breasts free, he took his time kissing across them as her fingers wound impossibly deeply into his hair and his tongue found her neck. He was already breathing heavily when he felt her hands on his shoulders, pushing him back.

'Wait, wait, wait. I need to tell you something.'

'What?' Jughead breathed against her neck, not wanting to take his lips off of her for even a second. 'What is it?'

She pulled him away to sit back and looked him deep in the eyes, and her big doe eyes entranced him. What's wrong? He thought. Does she not want me? Has she changed her mind?

She saw a vaguely worried look on Jughead's face and breathed, 'Nothing.'

Jughead held his breath, waiting for the inevitable 'but' that was sure to come.

'I just... Want you. I want all of you. Tonight.'

He let out the breath he hand't realised he was holding as he pulled her closer and pressed his lips against hers once more, telling her without words that he was hers, he was all hers. 

Soon her hands found the buttons of his best shirt and undid them all painfully slowly, peeling his suspenders off his shoulders to give herself better access to his body as she kissed up his neck and sucked on his earlobe, causing him to groan and grind his hips against hers. 

His hands felt her breasts, and her sides, down to her full hips, and eventually her ass. He stood up and lifted Betty with him, carrying her to his bedroom and placing her down on the bed. He locked the door as she wiggled out of her dress, leaving her only in a pair of black underwear. 

Jughead nearly tripped over his pants as he was tugging them off while getting closer to Betty. He crawled on top of her and kissed across her breasts once more. 'You're so fucking beautiful, Betty Cooper.'

'Juggie.'

His name wasn't a question, or a statement, or a demand. It was a simple moan that exited the mouth of the girl he loved. Begging, pleading with him to take her. Jughead could have died in that moment and died a happy man.

Her hands felt the hard and very much unsculpted muscle of his chest as he took off his underwear. All of a sudden he was naked in front of Betty Cooper, and very self-conscious. 

Of course, when Betty Wrapped her hand around the part of him he was self conscious about and began pumping up and down, he forgot how to be shy. He kissed her sloppily through a maze of groans that she seemed proud to illicit, before he pushed her down to lie on the bed and took off her underwear, leaving her fully naked for his gaze. 

'Fuck. You're a goddess, Betty.' 

Betty chuckled and smirked. 'You're not so bad yourself, Jughead Jones.'

He smiled and fumbled around in his dresser for the condoms he'd bought once when he had just started dating Betty. She raised her eyebrows as she didn't recognise the brand. 'Are you sure those are okay?'

''Course.' Jughead said, squinting at the packaging. 'They're just European. They've got the kitemark, so they're safe to use.' He looked down at Betty, who was still naked and now had her hand between her legs and her bottom lip between her teeth. 

Trying to hide how much this aroused him, Jughead teased, 'Wow, Cooper, I was gonna ask if you still wanted to- guess now I don't have to?'

'I want you, Juggie. Put the damn thing on.'

Jughead obliged, like any good boyfriend would.

Slowly, he eased into Betty. Her warmth enveloped him as they both groaned. 'You okay?' he breathed against her neck, unable to believe the amazing sensation he was getting, just from the first thrust inside her. 

'Yeah.'

He began thrusting, slowly at first, but as Betty's legs wrapped around his waist, seeming to want him deeper and deeper, he found himself going faster. Her arms flew around him, fingernails leaving pink claw-marks down his back as he groaned,

'Fuck. Fuck, I love you, Betty.'

Betty's head flew back as something overtook her moans, and she whispered his name like a prayer. He realised that this must be what it felt like to see a real orgasm. It was incredibly sexy. 

Betty's eyes rolled back into her head as her internal muscles clenched around him, encouraging him to go faster as she continued to whisper his name into the warm bedroom air. Soon he felt himself about to go over the edge, and she must have known it too, because her hands reached into his hair and all of a sudden she was murmuring, 'Come for me, Juggie. Come for me.'

And so he did.

~.. ..~

And that left them here, with Betty showing him a box of positive pregnancy tests, and crying. His hands were shaking far more than they had that night. He shook his head and looked at the woman sat next to him on the bed. What could he say? That he was sorry? That he'd probably ruined both of their lives by not insisting she have a morning-after pill the next morning? 

Fuck, what was there to say?

It was Betty who broke the silence, as the sunlight broke over the suburban rooftops and her 6 AM alarm started going off for school.

'Jug, what are we going to do?'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooh, two chapters in one night! Hot damn! So yeah, this was mostly just getting some smut out of my system. I hope you enjoyed, and next chapter will be a lot more plot-driven, don't you worry. Likewise, there will probably be more steamy stuff in the future. I have a million ideas of where this might go, but I'll only continue writing chapters if you guys keep telling me you want new chapters- fair enough deal, right?
> 
> Anyways, hope you enjoyed. Bughead is so fun to write!


	3. Chapter 3

They’re sat in the common area at school when Veronica throws them another curveball: 

‘Fair warning, our Shadow Lake chalet is rustic, but it has breathtaking views of the mountains, the water...’ 

‘Oh my god, that sounds heavenly, V.’ Betty isn’t entirely sure what to say at the invitation, what with Jughead waging a war against Hiram’s plans for the South Side, and the little life she swears she can feel stirring within her already. Maybe a vacation would do everyone some good? She turns to the boy she loves. ‘What do you say, Jug? Can you bear it?’   
Jughead looks at Betty, mouth slightly agape. She can tell he’s not overly fond of the idea, but what the hell? He plasters a weak smile onto his face and looks at Veronica. ‘As long as it’s cool with your dad.’ 

‘Mr Lodge suggested it.’ Archie grins, as though that's a self-explanatory statement.

‘Well, then. Cue the duelling banjos...’ Jughead internally chuckles at the awkward glances everyone in the group exchanges at his reference. ’What? It’ll also be a good chance for me to work on my novel.’ 

And figure out what we’re going to do with this kid, his internal monologue reminds him. 

He’s off in his own small world of possibilities- would it be a boy or a girl? Who would it look like? Take after? Should he even be thinking of this at all? Probably not. Best not to get attached to an idea that Betty wouldn’t agree with. 

‘Luxury and weekend. Two of my favourite words!’ Jughead jumps at the intrusion of Cheryl Blossom from behind him. ’So, where are we going and how extravagant a wardrobe should I pack?’ 

He can feel the bile rising in the back of his throat at the idea. 

Veronica shoots the redhead down, and as quickly as she’d flown in, she flies right back out. 

With that, the bell rings and Archie and Veronica have to get to class. Betty and Jughead have another free period together, and before he knows it she has hold of his hand and pulls him into the newsroom- their piece of Riverdale that remains untouched by all the bullshit that goes on outside. 

He’s not sure what to expect, but the serious look on her face worries Jughead. ‘What’s up? You okay?’ 

‘Don’t get me wrong, I’m thrilled you’re up for this weekend getaway, but why am I also slightly suspicious?’ 

Damn, she knows him too well. The cogs in Jughead’s brain have been turning, and she knows exactly which way. 

‘Possibly... Because I need a new source of intel on my article for Hiram Lodge?’ He pauses briefly, her cocked eyebrow giving away little. ‘...And I was just thinking that could be Veronica.’ 

Betty scoffs, and the timer in Jughead‘s mind starts counting down. He has ten seconds to sell this. 

‘She’s on the inside of her family business. Maybe I can-’ 

‘Okay.’ Betty interjects, holding up a finger. ‘One, can you please not investigate my best friend when she’s nice enough to invite us to her family’s cabin?’ She holds up another finger. ‘And two: ever since I found out about- well, you know... I need this weekend to be an escape.’ She pinches the bridge of her nose between her fingers. ‘And Chic came back last night.’ 

‘What?’ Jughead feels his hackles raising. ‘Did he say anything about where he went this time? Did he-’ 

‘It’s fine, Jug. I just really need to get away for a while. Just for a weekend. You can go back to investigating Hiram Lodge on Monday, okay? Just... Please, we have enough on our plates right now.’ 

Betty looks so exhausted that he knows she hasn’t slept well the night before. Chic had a habit of being loud and Alice Cooper had a habit of sleeping with her earplugs in and ignoring her son. 

‘Allright.’ Jughead steps closer to Betty and takes her hand. ‘I solemnly promise I’ll behave myself.’ 

‘Hm.’ Betty chuckles as he leans in and presses a tender kiss to her lips, and then her forehead. She smells of strawberry shampoo and old books. He can tell she has doubts, but internally Jughead tries to store away his hatred of Hiram Lodge. It’s time to be the right guy for his girlfriend, right now. 

‘Have you-’ He stops himself before he can finish the sentence. Given any thought about the baby? He doesn’t even know if he should call it a baby. Isn’t it technically a fetus? Less than that, if she decides to... Get rid of it? 

Betty knows what he was going to say, the question being on her mind for the better part of the night. ‘Not a clue, Jug. I wish it would just go away on it’s own, like a pimple.’ She buries her head in his chest as his arms wrap around her. ‘God, listen to me. What kind of mother would I even be, comparing my kid to a pimple?’ 

‘Betts, you’d be an amazing mom. Take it from a guy who hasn’t had one for years. If you just show up to things for the first 18 years, you’re a winner.’ 

‘Jug...’ Betty’s crying again. She hates crying in school- he caught her once in the newsroom before after they’d had a fight, and she’d insisted she simply had something in her eye. They know each other better than that now. 

She murmurs against his chest, ’Can we just leave it? Just for this weekend?’ 

He Isn't sure how to tell her that that’s probably a terrible idea, so he simply nods.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate to leave it hanging there, but don't worry- the next chapters are coming out as soon as someone tells me they want more... Or as soon as someone mails me coffee, either way works fine.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed, please let me know what you think and if I need to torture our poor innocent Bughead some more... *evil grin*


	4. Chapter 4

‘I’ll be down in a minute, Jug!’ 

As girlfriends go, Betty isn’t one of those who takes ages to get ready. Her style is simple, yet classic. It’s something that drew Jughead to her at first, but then entranced him every time he watched her get ready. Today, however, he waits at the foot of the stairs to take her to the Shadow Lake chalet. 

‘No worries, we got plenty of time!’ He calls up the stairs, leaning on the banister and looking at the photos on the wall. Betty and Polly as children. As babies. His treacherous mind starts wondering if that would be what their child looked like- blonde, innocent, beautiful? Would she be a Cooper girl or a Jones boy? 

He feels something staring at him and turned his head. Chic’s eyes burn a hole in his own as the Serpent takes in Betty’s long-lost brother for the first time. From Betty and all the school heresay he already knew that Chic wasn’t normal, but looking at the skinny blonde he can tell there was something more... something off. 

God, I hope our kid isn’t a boy. 

Jughead chuckles in what he hopes is a charming way. ’You must be Chic.’ 

‘You’re Betty’s boyfriend.’ It’s a statement, not a question. Chic’s face is expressionless, but some insane fire dances behind his eyes. 

‘Guilty.’ 

Chic stares at him. Christ, this guy is creepy. 

‘Um... Yes..’ Does he know something I don’t know? Jughead fights to avoid the silence, the awkwardness of which is only amplified by Chic’s unwavering stare. ‘Nice shirt. You, uh, you work at the Bijou?’ 

‘I saw the tests.’ 

Jughead’s heart stops as he glances upstairs- no sign of Betty- ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’ 

Chic’s eyes are empty as he replies, ‘Don’t worry. I’m someone you can trust.’ 

‘We’re not telling anyone. Not yet- I mean-’ 

‘Telling anyone- that'd be bad for Betty and Alice.’ A faint smile crosses Chic’s lips as his voice stays barely above a whisper. 

Jughead’s mind recognises the threat as he frowns. ‘What?’ 

Chic only smiles wider as Betty comes down the stairs. ’I’m ready, let’s go!’ She pauses for a second at seeing Chic beside her boyfriend, and mumbles a quick ’See you, Chic’ before they’re out the door. 

When Jughead closes the door behind Betty, he sees Chic still smiling, still unmoving. 

‘Is your brother always so, uh... Like that?’ 

‘Like what?’ Betty looks at the floor and he remembers that this is supposed to be her stress-free weekend. 

‘Nevermind. Look, here’s the car now. Time to relax and forget about... Everything.’ 

Jughead smiles at Betty and she kisses him lightly on the cheek as Veronica’s driver opens the door for them. Veronica squeals, ‘Oooh, aren’t you two just so cute? Ultimate intellectual power couple.’ 

‘Heh.’ Jughead feels his hand being squeezed by Betty. 

God, this is going to be one long weekend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a bit worried about the pacing here- it's a slow boil but trust me, it's worth it. Jughead and Betty have a lot of unspoken tension to get out of their systems- and that's before you add in Hiram Lodge's schemes!
> 
> And how 'bout that Chic, huh? What's he up to? Eh, probably nothing... Hehehe. *twirls villainous moustache*
> 
> The next chapter will be up as long as you guys want it to be, so please let me know what you think and if you want more. I hope you guys enjoy reading this as much as I'm enjoying writing it!


	5. Chapter 5

For most of the ride there, Betty keeps her hand low over her stomach, and the other in Jughead’s, squeezing tightly. Looking out the window at the endless wilderness rushing by, she wonders how much farther away the chateau could be. She’s beginning to feel sick- she can’t tell if it’s from the car ride or her... condition. 

Jughead tries to keep Veronica and Archie distracted from Betty’s silence, talking way too much. 

‘How’s football?’ 

‘How’s algebra?’ 

‘How’s your father?’ 

‘How’s... I don’t know, New York fashion week?’ 

By the time the car pulls up to the scenic lodge, everyone in the car, probably even the driver, is convinced something is up with Jughead- which at least detracts attention from Betty. 

Before they’re even settled in, Jughead’s phone starts ringing. It's an unknown number. 

He steps out on the veranda to take it. ‘Hello?’ 

‘How’s the lake house?’ It’s Cheryl’s chirruping voice on the other end of the line, which causes Jughead’s blood to run cold and confused. ‘Are you all settled in and spooning yet?’ 

‘Who is this?’ Jughead decides to play dumb. Maybe if I play dumb, she’ll go away. Maybe I can fake a heart attack and hang up- that wouldn’t be rude, right? Probably not. 

‘It’s Cheryl, you welfare baby.’ He rolls his eyes at what she thinks is an insult. 

‘It something wrong?’ Yes, this conversation is happening, right now, on purpose. He answers his own question. 

‘Not yeeet,’ comes the singsong reply, ‘I just wanna make sure you know that Archie and Betty kissed in front of my house, right before Christmas, and that it seemed pretty serious. Like, with-tongues serious. That’s all. Enjoy your couples-only weekend. Kisses to all. Bye now!’ 

Jughead’s mind is a mess of short circuits, but he takes a deep breath as the others flood onto the veranda. 

‘Jug? What happened? Are you okay?’ 

‘It was Cheryl. She said you and Archie kissed in front of her house.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn, another short-ass chapter! Sorry about that. The next one will be longer and full of Bughead fluff, though- don't you worry about that! What happens when Jughead questions the paternity of Betty's child? We'll just have to wait and see...
> 
> Are you enjoying the direction the fanfic is going? Following the original show, just with a Bughead pregnancy... I'll be sprinkling in some more original content along the way, of course! I hope everyone stays in character along the way.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed reading and please let me know what you think/if you'd like to see another chapter!


	6. Chapter 6

The lack of a denial confirms the truth in Cheryl’s bitchy revenge-pudding. 

‘Jughead, we can ex-’ 

‘Can I talk to you alone for a second?’ Jughead cuts Archie off and takes Betty’s hand, leading her into their room. The look Archie gives Veronica tells him that he’s already told her, that they have nothing to worry about- but what hasn’t Betty told him? 

He can’t stop the thought from crossing his mind- What if it's not mine? 

He imagines raising a redhead baby, having everyone in town know a secret he’d spend the rest of his life trying to forget. Betty sits on the bed and Jughead runs his hands through his hair. 

‘Jug-’ 

‘I don’t care about the kiss, Betty.’ 

‘W-what?’ Betty’s eyes are wide. 

‘I don’t care about the kiss... But I am wondering why you didn’t tell me when I told you about Toni.’ 

‘I wanted to tell you...’ She looks at the ground and her eyes are full of tears once more. 

‘Is it because you were worried about what I’d think? That Archie could be the father?’ 

‘He’s not-’ 

‘-Then why wouldn’t you tell me?’ Jughead is trying hard not to lose it with panic, and so is Betty. They stare at each other for a tense moment. ‘The night you told me, you wanted to fuck me. Why was that, Betty? Did you want me to do something stupid?’ 

‘I was scared! I’m still scared, Jug! I don’t know what’s going to happen- we're only 18, for god’s sake! We’re barely out of kindergarten! And yet, when I think of what might happen- it might have your eyes or your smile, and when I start thinking about that- creating a life with you, Jug, it scares me how much I want it. I know It'll fuck everything up, I’d probably have to drop out of school and get a crappy job and live on no sleep, but god help me, I want this. I wouldn’t want it if there was even a chance it wasn’t yours, Juggie.’ 

She’s crying now, and the sight sends a shockwave through Jughead, who stands there, looking down at her. He sighs. 

‘Why didn’t you tell me, then?’ 

She sniffles and meets his eyes, hands rolled into fists. There are red crescents on her palms as he kneels and kisses them. ‘Talk to me, Betts.’ 

‘I- I thought you might think there was something between me and Archie. There isn’t, I swear there isn’t, Jug. But I didn’t know how to tell you without you thinking-’ 

‘Archie’s my rival.’ Jughead realises. He looks up at her. ’I mean, you’re right. I did think that. I mean, you guys grew up next to each other. Your bedroom windows literally face one another. That used to bother me, but after everything we've been through, recently, I'm not intimidated by a kiss. I just want you to be honest with me, Betts. Because if you’re sure you want this kid, then you have to be completely and totally honest with me. Is.... is that alright with you?’ 

Betty pulls him up to sit beside her on the bed and throws her arms around him, pressing a kiss to his lips before burying her head in his neck- almost a reflex, he realises, whenever she needs to be comforted. 

‘Of course, Jug. I promise, I’ll tell you more... If you want a part of this baby’s life.’ She places a hand over her stomach and tentatively meets his eyes. ‘And don’t feel any pressure to do it. I want this baby, that doesn’t mean you need to. I don’t want you to-’ 

‘I want...’ Jughead isn’t really sure what he wants, but he knows that he needs to support his girlfriend. ‘I want to be there for you, Betty. I need you in my life, and if that means having a kid- then I guess I’m going to be a father.’ 

They’re silent for a long moment. Neither of them addresses the elephant in the room- Jughead clearly isn’t sure if he wants the baby- but before either of them can speak, they hear the squeaking of the springs in the adjacent bedroom. The suggestive sound makes them both laugh and smile at each other. 

‘Oh, my God! Are they serious?’ Betty chuckles, almost childlike. 

‘Is that their response to everything? Can't they ever just have, like, a conversation?’ Laughter makes them both feel so much younger, for the briefest of moments. Betty and Jughead savour it while they can, both slowly realising that quite soon they’ll have bigger things to worry about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! Finally a longer chapter! Now Bughead know what they want to do with the baby, what's next on the agenda? What will happen when outside factors start taking more of a toll on their relationship? We'll just have to wait and see!
> 
> Please let me know if you enjoyed and if you'd like to see more, my writing is fuelled by your comments so I'll keep posting as long as you guys keep telling me to post!
> 
> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed!


	7. Chapter 7

Now that they’ve decided (tentatively) to keep the baby, there as so many new questions. Life feels completely new- what are they going to do? Drop out of school? Get entry-level, minimum-wage jobs? How were they going to tell their parents? What would Betty’s parents do, in particular? Jughead shuddered at the thought of her being carted off to the Sisters of Quiet Mercy, coming back months later a different person, never to see their child again. 

He wouldn’t let that happen. 

He couldn’t let that happen. 

A few hours later, Veronica and Archie resurface from their room and seem surprised to find Betty and Jughead cuddling on the couch. 

‘Everything okay?’ Archie’s gaze flickers between his two childhood friends. 

‘I don’t think I’m in too much trouble.’ Betty smiles. 

‘For now,’ Jughead grumbles, feigning grumpiness. 

‘I'm picking up some residual tension from, I'm guessing, Cheryl's Random Act of Cruelty earlier.’ Jughead’s sarcasm goes right over Veronica’s head, and lands in the Lodge hot tub, later that night. 

Sipping cocktails (an experience Betty narrowly avoids by claiming to be car-sick) in the hot tub takes an odd turn. 

‘Okay, so, full disclosure time.’ Veronica takes a deep breath and takes a long sip of her drink. ‘When Archie told me about the kiss, I absorbed it, processed it, and, in the end, I bear no ill will towards my beau nor my bestie. But has the thought of it haunted me these last few weeks? ...A tiny bit, yeah. And now, clearly, Betty and Jughead, you guys are caught up in the aftermath. So, to clear the air amongst us, Jughead and I should kiss.’ 

‘What?’ Jughead and Archie cry in unison. 

‘V...?’ Betty raises a brow at her best friend. ‘Why?’ 

‘Are you crazy?’ Archie looks positively aghast at his girlfriend’s suggestion, which makes Jughead smile cheekily. 

‘Now hang on, I actually think...’ He savours the look the redhead gives him, Betty notices a mischievous glint in his eye and sighing inwardly. ‘Veronica and I kissing might help to, um, what’s the sports term, Archie? Level the playing field?’ 

With all sense clearly lost within his best friend and girlfriend, Archie turns to Betty for help. Her eyes are focused on Jughead as her head cocks to one side. ‘You’re not upset, though?’ 

‘No, of course I’m not upset- but I am human.’ Jughead is playing totally for Archie’s benefit now, smirking to himself. ‘What if a future me tries to use your kiss with Archie against some future you? A Vughead kiss, right now, in the present, might be precisely what it takes to save a future Bughead from imploding.’ 

Veronica stands up and curls her index finger, ushering Jughead up. 

‘Don’t freak out,’ she smirks, before pulling his head down and giving him a kiss so forceful that he briefly wonders how Archie’s tongue isn’t numb on a permanent basis. 

.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 

‘Did it make you feel better? Kissing Veronica?’ Betty’s voice echoes through from the bathroom, while Jughead reads on the bed. The side of his mouth twitches upwards. 

‘It felt good watching Archie's face.’ 

‘Okay, but did you enjoy kissing her?’ There’s an edge to Betty’s voice that makes him want to laugh at the idea he could ever enjoy Veronica the way he enjoys Betty. 

‘I know entrapment when I hear it, Betty.’ 

‘Because if you did... I might have to punish you.’ She purrs, framed perfectly in the doorway, wearing very little at all. Jughead almost drops his book as the sight. 

Betty’s lithe body is held within an extremely flattering set of black lingerie, and black high heels to match. Her legs seem to go on forever as she walks over to him on the bed, where he sits up. She’s wearing a black wig he’s never seen her wear before, and red lipstick that’s such a delicious departure from her usual look he can’t wait to taste it. 

‘H-how are you going to punish me?’ She smirks at his stutter. Hey, it’s hard to talk when all your blood is rushing the opposite direction of your brain. 

‘I packed this.’ Her hands push his robe off his shoulders, instantly leaving him naked beneath her hands. ‘In case you needed a distraction from... Everything.’ She meets his eyes and for a brief moment it’s the usual almost-timid Betty, but she quickly recovers and turns back into a different, dominant version of herself. She pushes him down onto the bed and crawls over him as he grins, 

‘Consider me distracted.’ 

She presses a finger to his lips and he grins. Betty looks at him from behind hooded eyes and Jughead swears just that one look is enough to finish him, before she’s even properly touched him. 

She takes both of his hands and puts them above his head, taking the tie from his robe and securing him to the headboard. She leans into his face. ‘Not even close, Mr Jones.’ 

She produces another tie- presumably from her own robe- and secures it around his head. Now blinded, Jughead can only feel her warm skin against his, taste her lips as they graze over his, and hear his own heavy breathing while his girlfriend remains almost infuriatingly calm above him. 

He feels the tickle of her breath against his ear: ‘Relax, Mr Jones... I have a feeling you’ll enjoy your punishment.’ 

He senses her smirking against his neck as his cock twitches at Betty’s suggestive words. She kisses down his neck and further down his chest- just shy of where he actually wants her mouth- and then begins kissing back up again. 

‘Betty, you’re killing me.’ He groans, thrusting his hips upwards. 

She lightly slaps his side and hisses in his ear, ‘I told you not to move, Mr Jones. Now I’m going to have to punish you much more... Severely.’ 

He moans again as she grinds her own still-clothed body against him, enjoying the feeling of her taking charge in the bedroom for the first time. 

She then leans down and begins peppering his hips with kisses, as if to tease him. He can feel her tits against his cock, gently brushing against him in the most delicious way. He can barely stop himself from squirming under her touch- something she evidently notices and takes some sadistic pleasure in. 

‘Very good, Mr Jones. You’re learning.’ Her breath is next to his ear again. ‘I think you deserve a reward for that, don’t you think?’ 

‘God, yes.’ 

She kisses him, and suddenly he‘s abandoned. 

‘Betty?’ 

‘Stay still, Mr Jones.’ There’s a teasing component to her voice as she climbs back onto him, though he can feel she’s now completely naked. 

Slowly, Betty eases herself onto his cock, before not moving. Deliciously motionless, it takes everything in Jughead not to slip his hands out of the flimsy bindings, grab her hips, and thrust upwards until they both cum. But this is Betty’s time. Getting all the darkness out of her system, taking control of the one thing in her life that won’t buck her off: Jughead Jones the third. 

‘B-betty...’ He groans when she rolls her hips once, twice. 

‘Jug...’ He hears her whisper out his name like a dirty little secret, and his blindfolded eyes roll back into his head a little. 

Betty places both her hands on his chest and begins bouncing on his cock, finally beginning to breathe heavily. He can feel how turned on she is from the way her muscles massage his cock, the way her fingernails begin to dig into his skin slightly as she bends down to kiss him, all while never once pausing as she rides his cock. 

‘B-betty... I want to... Ugh, see you..’ He can’t help the ugly groans and breathy moans he makes inbetween words. But as soon as they’re out, the blindfold is off, and his hands are freed. 

The wig is off Betty now, her blonde locks bouncing, framing her face and tits perfectly as her features are perfectly twisted up in sweet pleasurable agony. His hands caress her breasts as though it’s the first time, pinching her nipple experimentally as she throws her head back with an exclamation of, 

‘Fuck! Juggie!’ 

In the back of his mind Jughead worries that Archie and Veronica will be able to hear through the thin walls, but then his hands find Betty’s hips and he doesn’t care if everyone in Riverdale can hear the melody of their fucking. 

‘Oh god, Betty, I think I’m going to cum.’ 

‘Cum for me, Juggy. Oh god, I’m so close.’ 

Something about the breathiness of her voice sends him over the edge, and before he knows what’s going on, Jughead’s vision goes white and his mind is utterly blank. He feels Betty tensing around him in turn, before he collapses forwards onto his chest, his cock still inside her. For a brief moment he realises they haven’t used a condom, but then he remembers. Fuck it, he’s not exactly worried about that particular anymore, now that the most beautiful woman in the world is collapsed on top of him after what was probably some of the best sex of his life. 

Betty winces slightly as she gets up from him, causing Jughead to frown. ’Are you okay?’ 

‘Y-yeah, I’m fine. That was just... Wow, Jug.’ 

He pulls her into his arms. The room is hot and smells of sex now. Kissing the top of her forehead, he mumbles into her hair, ‘I love you, Betty Cooper.’ 

‘I love you too, Jughead Jones.’ 

In that moment, the young couple has no idea what awaits them the very next day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! I thought after all the angst of the last chapter you guys might like some good old-fashioned smut to take the edge off... What do you think is going to happen when Archie and Ronnie find out? A meltdown wrapped in an explosion? Probably.
> 
> As always, if you enjoyed please let me know- I'm living for your comments right now, they keep me writing! If you want more please tell me, I love hearing your thoughts on Bughead! 
> 
> Thanks for reading, I hope you guys are enjoying this.


	8. Chapter 8

‘Hey, Dad, what's up?’ 

‘Jughead! Jughead, hey, you're not gonna believe it.’ It sounds like his father is in the middle of a huge party- there's so much yelling and loud music Jughead can barely make out the words. 

‘Uh, hold on, I can't really hear you. Hold on a sec.’ Moving onto the veranda overlooking the lake, everything his father is saying becomes amplified. 

‘Yeah, everyone's over here, celebrating! Listen: the eviction notices, the back rent... It's all gone! Paid in full! No one has to move out!’ 

‘That's amazing! How did this happen?’ Jughead’s heart soars. The Serpents are safe again. His family is safe again. 

‘You! You shamed him into it. He did a complete 180!’ As soon as it soars, Jughead’s heart plummets down to his shoes. 

‘Who did? What are you talking about?’ 

‘Hiram! Hiram Lodge! He just bought Sunnyside Trailer Park and he said we can all stay. We're staying!’ 

Jughead hears the cheers of what sounds like everyone in the Southside trailer park at once. 

‘Jug! Jug...!’ Jughead numbly hangs up the phone, his mind going a mile a minute. Hiram buying the trailer park. Inviting him and Betty to stay here for the weekend. Suddenly recoiling on his vicious threats, like a snake about to strike. But where? And how? 

He connects the dots in his own mind, leaving him not just angry, but utterly outraged as he storms back inside to confront Veronica, convinced she was in on the whole thing- she’d have to be, wouldn’t she? She’s never liked Jughead. Even he can tell that. She’s put up with him, for Betty’s sake. He stares through the kitchen window and sees everyone looking at him. He can’t contain his anger, ripping his way through the door and thrusting an accusatory finger at Veronica. 

‘First your dad buys the drive-in, now he owns Sunnyside Trailer Park. As I suspected, he's gobbling up the Southside, piece by piece!’ 

Archie frowns at his best friend, placing a protective arm around Veronica. ‘Wait, slow down. Mr. Lodge is the one evicting people from the trailer park?’ 

‘No, technically, he cleared us of our debts and revoked the evictions.’ Jughead realises how it sounds, crossing his arms. 

‘Does that mean you get to keep your trailer?’ Archie presses. 

‘Yes,’ Veronica answers for him. ‘So why are you outraged?’ 

‘Because it's a tactic. It's a smokescreen, PR 101. He's trying to buy my silence again.’ Jughead can’t believe how ignorant they’re being, even as Veronica crosses her arms and Betty rushes to his side. 

‘Good Lord, Jughead, how much of a narcissist are you?’ Veronica’s voice is filled with venom. 

‘Jughead, you wrote an article attacking Mr. Lodge and demanding that he makes amends- it sounds like that's what he's trying to do.’ Archie frowns impossibly harder. Both men find themselves looking to Betty for support. She squirms uncomfortably. 

‘They do kind of have a point, Jug.’ 

Archie steps forward when he realises it’s three against one. ‘Look, Jug, I know you love conspiracies, but take the win, bro, and let's celebrate.’ He claps Jughead on the back, as though that makes everything Hiram’s doing less deceitful. ‘The Serpents aren’t getting displaced, your dad’s outta jail, and we’ve got this awesome place to ourselves for the rest of the weekend- right now, we’ve got nothing but things to celebrate.’ 

Jughead’s about to press the issue further, but he feels Betty’s soft hand taking his, reminding him to take a deep breath. He smiles weakly. ‘I guess you’re right, Arch. I’ll pour us all another drink.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooh! Jughead's temper flares once again! Sorry it's another short chapter- while I'm enjoying making my own novelisation of the show, the shortness of the Bughead scenes does occaisionally take it's toll. Never fear, though! Next chapter is longer, and it's all in the lead-up to some nice Bughead fluff that we all love so much.
> 
> How will Jughead react when his girlfriend and unborn child are put in danger? The answer might surprise you, but not as much as it surprises Jughead.
> 
> As always, please let me know if you enjoyed this- the speed at which I write and post chapters is based entirely on if you beautiful readers want me to write and post. I hope you're enjoying reading this as much as I'm enjoying writing it!


	9. Chapter 9

Drinks poured (a discrete water for Betty, which goes unnoticed as Archie and Veronica become increasingly tipsy), music playing gently in the background, the teenagers decide to drag out the monopoly board. So far, Veronica is winning by a landslide. 

‘I have a hotel in Park Place, which brings your total to $1500. Sorry, B. It's nothing personal.’ 

Betty rolls her eyes- she's doing a good job of acting just as tipsy as everyone else. ‘Yeah, I know. It's just business.’ 

‘Mmm-hmm.’ Veronica finishes her glass and wiggles it at Archie, who refills it with gin in return for a sloppy kiss, giggling as his free hand tries to steal from her pile of $1 bills and she slaps it away. 

It’s a lovely domestic scene, the tension of earlier all forgotten. That is, until Betty’s phone rings and everyone jumps. 

‘Ew. It's my mom. Should I answer it?’ 

‘No!’ Is the unanimous group decision. 

‘What if it's about Chic?’ Betty frowns at the caller ID as Jughead gives her hand a squeeze under the table. ‘Let me just... Hey, Mom, what's up?’ 

‘By the way, when are we ever gonna get to meet Chic?’ Veronica looks at Jughead when Betty leaves the room. A frown flickers over his features as he remembers the odd exchange in Betty’s hallway. 

‘I actually did before we left.’ Please don’t make me elaborate. Please don’t make me elaborate. 

‘And? how is he?’ Well, he knows Betty’s pregnant- presumably because he was snooping through all her things, possibly while she was asleep- 

‘Honestly, he's kinda creepy. -’ Jughead is spared having to elaborate by a mildly pissed Betty coming back into the room, phone-in-hand. 

‘Guys...?’ Uh-oh. Jughead knows that edge to her voice. Betty is angry about something. It’s the Cooper specialty- the silent kind of anger that doesn’t make a big deal about itself until you wake up in the night with hands around your neck because you left the toilet seat up. 

‘Everything okay?’ He asks, tentatively. Betty doesn’t sit back down. Is this the start of her pregnancy hormones? Worse, is this how angry she’s going to be *before* the hormones? 

‘No, actually. My mom is freaking out because Hiram Lodge just bought the Riverdale Register. She’s losing her mind. My dad's not answering her calls.’ Betty’s frown focuses on one person in the room. ‘Veronica, did you know your dad was buying the Register?’ 

‘What?’ As pissed off as Jughead is at the new information, he has to admit Veronica is doing a good job of feigning innocence. ‘No, Betty, of course not.’ 

‘See? this is what I'm talking about.’ Jughead is on his feet with an arm around Betty. Archie leaps up as well, angry as hell once again. 

‘Relax, Jughead!’ 

‘Don't tell me to relax!’ 

‘Is that why you brought us up here?’ Betty chimes in, her anger bubbling over. ‘To get us out of town while your dad was doing these things?’ 

‘Yes!’ Jughead answers for Veronica, who’s on her feet with her hands on her hips. 

‘Okay, now who sounds crazy?’ 

‘Lodge Industries has been buying properties all over the Southside. Now he buys the one newspaper in town, so people can't report on what he's doing? It's a classic gambit of mobsters and criminals!’ 

‘Shut the hell up, Jughead!’ Archie snaps, looking like he’s about to hit the shorter boy. Jughead steps closer to him, so angry he can barely breathe. 

‘ Archie, this one's pretty simple, so even you might be able to get this if you stopped kissing up to Hiram Lodge for, like, two seconds.’ 

‘How many times have I defended you?’ Betty interjects, looking at Veronica. ‘And now you turn and stab my family in the back?’ 

‘It sounds to me like you should be mad at your dad for selling the newspaper, not mine.’ Veronica huffs. 

‘Yeah, there's nothing, like, evil about buying a newspaper.’ How can Archie be so clueless? How is Jughead going to hold himself back from punching the asshole in the face? 

‘He's trying to silence the free press, Archie. He's trying to keep Mrs. Cooper from coming after him.’ 

‘I am so sick of your vendetta against my dad.’ Veronica turns on him now, ‘He's done plenty of good things!’ 

‘Oh, like what?’ Jughead’s arms are open, inviting any defense. ‘Name one thing.’ 

‘He's... He paid my dad's medical bills.’ Archie struggles. 

‘Boy, Archie, Veronica's got you wrapped around her little finger.’ Spits Jughead. 

‘And other parts of her body.’ Betty finishes. 

‘Oh! I'm sorry. I'm sorry we don't spend our time being tragic and moping and holding hands while watching serial killer documentaries.’ Veronica’s not Cooper angry, she’s the loud, Copyrighted-Lodge kind of angry. ‘Oh, and wearing costumes to role-play and get our rocks off.’ 

There’s silence in the room. Jughead doesn’t mind that Betty told her best friend about their sex life, but he sure as hell minds that she’d bring that up now, when it’s quite possibly the least relevant point she could possibly have made. 

Betty, however, is red and the face and looks like she‘s about ready to launch herself at the richer girls throat. The sound of glass breaking, however, stops her. Instantly, the atmosphere is completely different as each teenager freezes, listening. 

‘Where did that come from?’ Betty whispers. 

‘Who else knows we're here?’ Murmurs Jughead. 

‘Why'd you say it like that?’ Jughead is about to tell Veronica to lower her voice, but then the kitchen door opens. 

Oh, fuck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aw, shiiiit! Another cliffhanger! Next chapter we get to see how Betty and Jughead deal with being put in a situation so far out of their control it's in the stratosphere. (Also, fluffy as hell, so there's that!)
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter- let me know what you think/if you wanna see more!


	10. Chapter 10

At the door is a man with a rifle, wearing a ski mask. Jughead’s blood runs cold. When the intruder talks, it’s with a Southern lilt to his voice. 

‘You rich summer folks never learn...’ He cocks his rifle as two more intruders file in behind him. ‘You just keep walking around town, flashing more cash than we see in a year.’ 

Another, in a blue mask, speaks: ‘We're gonna take what we want, and then we're gonna go. If you guys behave yourselves, nobody gets their skulls knocked in.’ 

‘Fine, take what you want.’ Archie is surprisingly cool. Jughead’s brain is short-circuiting. ‘We won't give you any trouble.’ 

He feels a soft hand squeezing his, and suddenly thoughts enter his mind, which starts racing impossibly faster. Oh god. Betty. Betty’s pregnant. There are men with guns in the room, and Betty’s pregnant. Oh fuck. 

A man in a red mask points a pistol at Veronica: ‘Where's your purse?’ 

‘U-um, it's... In my bedroom.’ 

‘Let's go to the bedroom.’ 

The man with the blue mask points his gun at Betty. ‘And you, you take me to your room and you get all your valuables together.’ 

Again, it’s up to Archie to speak. ‘No. No way are you going up there alone with them.’ 

‘I'll go.’ The girls say in unision. Jughead’s heart is beating too fast. He wants to be the bigger man, say that he knows where the valuables are in his room, Betty has no idea, take him instead... But he doesn’t. 

‘Archie, it's fine. I'll be fine.’ Veronica brushes her hand down Archie‘s shoulder before she slowly makes her way to the stairs. Betty and the men do the same. ‘We'll be right back. Everybody just needs to stay calm.’ 

The moment they turn the corner and go out of sight, Jughead tries to fix his attention on the one man who has his gun trained at Archie’s head. Archie is clearly the alpha in this situation. Jughead belongs to a gang, he’s carved the tattoo off of a grown woman’s body, but the moment he knows Betty is in a bedroom, at gunpoint, with who-knows-who, he’s not a gang member. He’s a scared 18 year old boy. 

He hears a gunshot echo through the Lodge, but then deadly silence. The man with the gun pointed at Archie chuckles. ‘I hope neither of your bitches is an idiot.’ 

Jughead’s vision is tinged with red and he’s certain he’s about to lunge at this idiot before Betty and Veronica come back down the stairs and stand right next to the boys once more. Jughead thanks his lucky stars that neither of the girls look hurt. 

‘Can we go already?’ Says the blue mask to the apparent leader, who doesn’t stop aiming at Archie. 

‘You got the cash?’ 

‘Yeah. I got the cash.’ 

‘Then you got what you wanted. You can leave.’ Veronica’s voice quivers, betraying the very real fear beneath her calm demeanour. 

‘Not everything, not yet... Why don't you all get down on your knees?’ 

‘Come on, man,’ Archie tries to sound reasonable. ‘Let's not do this.’ 

‘Shut up!’ The men with the guns jolt at their leader’s sudden shout, and point their firearms at the girls. ‘I said, on your knees. Hands behind your backs.’ 

Nobody moves. 

‘Do it!’ 

Slowly, everyone obeys. The leader walks over to where Veronica is knelt. He leans in so close to her ear Jughead is sure she can smell his breath. When he speaks it’s loud enough for everyone to hear, but Jughead gets the feeling he takes a particular pleasure in saying it to Veronica. He knows who she is. 

‘It's a nice cabin. I'm sorry we have to make such a mess in it.’ 

Suddenly, the house is alive with ringing- an alarm? The man jolts and points the gun right between Veronica’s eyes. ‘What the hell is that?’ 

‘That...’ Veronica closes her eyes and smiles, as though caught in a pleasant memory. ‘That would be the security company, calling to check on the silent alarm I hit in my bedroom. I'd say you hillbillies have about 30 seconds to run for it before this place is swarming with guards who will shoot first and ask questions never.’ 

The intruders seem disoriented; clearly, they hadn’t been expecting this. The alarm continues ringing as the leader smacks Veronica across the face with the butt of his rifle- 

‘Screw you, rich bitch!’ 

He takes off, along with the rest of the men. And Archie. 

‘Archie, don't!-’ Veronica calls from the floor, but Archie is already gone, out into the woods with three armed men. 

‘No, Arch!’ Jughead hears his own voice calling through the woods, until he hears three resounding gunshots, and his blood runs cold for the thousandth time that night. 

Yet, Archie emerges from the trees a few minutes later, and Jughead rushes to hug him, relieved to see the flashing lights of security. 

After they’ve each given a description of the events of the night, the security officers promise Veronica that there will be a private detail assigned to the house for the night, though outwardly the officers doubt the men will be back- ‘It’d be like lightning striking twice in the same place, Miss Lodge.’ 

 

It’s not surprising that they all decide to have an early night, after that. The teens quietly say goodnight to each other, the argument of several hours ago still fresh in their minds. 

The moment the bedroom door closes behind him, Jughead bursts into tears. Betty, who had been expecting to be the emotional one, guides him over to sit on the bed and wraps her arms around him. 

Jughead never cries- something tonight must have gotten to him. But what? 

‘Jug? You okay?’ 

‘Sorry- I’m fine- I'm so sorry, Betty.’ 

‘It’s not your fault three armed psychopaths broke into this cabin, Jug.’ 

‘I shouldn’t have let you go upstairs with them, though. If it hadn’t been for Archie and Veronica, god knows what would’ve happened-’ 

‘-But nothing did happen, Jug. It’s not your fault- people can’t tell how they’re going to react in these types of situations.’ 

‘But I’m not people.’ Jughead sniffles, feeling like a petulant child. ‘I’m your boyfriend, and I’m about to be a father, and if anything hand happened tonight to jeopardise that... God, Betty. I’d never have forgiven myself.’ He buries his face in her chest and sobs. ‘I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.’ 

His beanie had fallen off when he’d collapsed against the door, so Betty runs her hands through his hair and kisses the top of his head, whispering gentle assurances while her boyfriend cries in her arms for the first time. 

‘Jug, you’re 18. We’re barely more than kids ourselves. There’s going to be big, major-league fuck-ups. We’re going to be parents, while still living with our parents. It’s okay to be frightened. I was terrified when I came in here with him. But then I remembered that you were downstairs, and that kept me strong. Even when he got angry because we didn’t have enough valuables, and fired off a couple of shots to try to intimidate me.’ Betty shuddered at the memory while Jughead’s hands balled into fists at the idea of some foul person trying to scare his girlfriend. 

‘My point is, Jug, you don’t have to apologise for tonight. You dealt with it the way that came naturally, and we’re all okay. The police are going to catch those assholes- if Mr Lodge doesn’t- and we’re all going to be fine.’ 

Sometime during the flood of her soothing words, Jughead stops crying. He sits up straight, and picks his beanie off of the floor. When he sits back on the bed, he places both of his hands on Betty’s cheeks and kisses her, trying to wordlessly let her know all the depths of his emotions. 

She returns this kiss; equally fervent. ‘Fuck.’ He chuckles when they break apart for air. ‘I can’t wait for this weekend to be over...'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Juggie freezes up at the moment he thinks Betty needed him most- what do you guys make of that? Is it understandable? Is he a coward? Either way, did you enjoy that fluff at the end? I know I loved writing it, so please let me know if you'd like to see more!
> 
> I hope you're enjoying the story so far. I'm quite far ahead in writing terms and it's interesting seeing the butterfly effect that Betty's pregnancy is having on my version of the show. Stick around to see what I'm talking about!


	11. Chapter 11

After that weekend, everything seems to be moving through jell-o. Nobody really talks on the ride home, feelings not quite smoothed over, but the will to make things worse is also removed. Betty and Jughead are nestled together, her asleep and him staring out of the window as the trees speed by. They have a lot to talk about, but rather than wake her up, he asks Veronica’s driver to drop them off in town. Betty wakes up confused at first. 

‘Where are we?’ 

‘Town. I’m sorry, Betty, I- I just didn’t feel ready to go home yet. Not to a home Hiram’s paid for. Is it alright if we just... Hang out around town for a little bit?’ 

She takes his hand and pecks him on the cheek. ‘Of course, Jug. Honestly, I’m not in any hurry to go home either. Lately it just feels like Chic’s playground. He’s been going through my things when I’m away, and I really don’t want to deal with that after- well, this weekend hasn’t exactly been the stress-free time I was hoping for.’ 

Jughead feels a twinge in his heart from looking at how dejected Betty seems. On the ride he’d googled symptoms of early pregnancy, and sure enough- an explanation for her near-constant drowsiness that morning. He’d thought for a moment she’d never get out of bed. Even after sleeping the whole ride home, she still looks about ready to drop. 

‘Let’s go for a walk.’ He murmurs. 

Riverdale at 6 PM is enveloped in a warm orange glow, with most of the shops closed and hardly anyone on the streets. It feels almost eerie- a bit like a ghost town. Yet the quiet outside seems to do wonders for the disquiet inside of Jughead as the two stroll, not saying much, taking in the atmosphere. 

‘Hey,’ Betty says after a while. ‘They’re showing The Shining. Isn’t that, like, one of your favourite movies?’ 

He isn’t even sure how she knows that, but before he knows it he’s buying tickets and she’s buying popcorn, and they’re sat in a relatively empty theatre, enjoying the madness of Stanley Kubrick and Jack Torrence all to themselves. After the weekend they’ve had, the events of the movie take on a whole new meaning. It reminds Jughead that he has a lot to say to Betty. He spends the few minutes of credits that Betty is asleep for taking measurements in his mind. How much should he breach at once? Is there anything that he should keep from her, at least for now? He shakes his head as she wakes up. 

‘Did you enjoy that?’ He chuckles as they walk back to his trailer, Betty yawning on his arm. 

‘I liked the part at the end,’ She smiles cheekily. ‘That dream sequence was amazing.’ 

‘I think that might just have been your snoring, but okay.’ She quickly punches him on the arm. 

‘I don’t snore!’ 

‘Tell that to the old man in the back of the theatre, I thought he was going to whack you on the head with his zimmerframe.’ 

They fall back into that amicable silence once more, both smiling at the comfort their relationship provides through the chaos that is living in Riverdale. Still, Jughead continues thinking. 

The North Side gives way to the South Side right beneath their feet, and soon they’re inside his trailer, and he’s kissing her against the doorframe, and her hands are underneath his shirt, turning him on beyond all reason. 

Before he knows it, they’re in his room again with the door locked and she’s on top of him half-naked. It’s feverish- a completely different type of fucking to whatever it was they were doing before. Betty’s lips are everywhere, and his hands can’t get enough of the shape of her body as she bounces over and over again on his cock. 

He’s almost embarrassed by how fast he cums; though this opens him to the whole new experience of Betty lying on top of him, facing away from him, but guiding his hand to her clitoris and showing him how to move. 

Slowly he gets the hang of it, listening to the hitch in her breath when he gets it spot-on for the first time. His other arm sneaks around her side to squeeze her breast tightly, and she bites her lip again. ‘Jughead...’ 

Hearing her say his name reminds him of the jealousy he’d felt towards Archie back at the chateau. It would almost sting if he wasn’t so sure that Betty is enjoying him more than anyone else who’s ever touched her. Still, his lips brush the shell of her ear as he whispers, 

‘Betty... Who gets to touch you like this?’ 

This game is entirely new to the both of them, but Betty catches on quickly as one of Jughead’s fingers slips inside her. She manages to gasp out, ‘You, oh god, you, Juggie.’ 

‘Does anyone else get to make you feel like this?’ 

‘No- god, Jug- just you!’ 

‘Do I make you feel good?’ He knows the answer to this question already. He can feel her beginning to tighten around his fingers as he increases the pressure on her clit, kissing he neck. ‘Am I going to make you come, Betty?’ 

‘Fuck- Jughead- I'm gonna-’ 

‘Come for me, Betty. I love you.’ 

With those simple words, she comes undone around his fingers with a deep gasp, as though she’s forgetting to breathe, in the most pleasurable way. 

Then she turns around and breathes in his scent while he kisses her forehead. Sometimes Jughead thinks that cuddling is more important than the sex- hell, maybe even more enjoyable. Not to say that the sex isn’t amazing, but something about this silent time of just lying down together, wrapped up in each other- it just makes everything else seem to make sense. 

Yet, after a while, Jughead can’t stop the worries from resurfacing from within his mind. 

‘Betty?’ 

‘Hmmm?’ She doesn’t open her eyes, squeezing his sides to show she’s still awake. 

‘As we were walking back from The Shining, I was thinking... There's more than one kind of home invasion.’ He strokes her hair. How to explain? ‘It's not always fast and violent. Sometimes we open the door and we let the intruders in ourselves.’ 

Betty frowns. ‘What do you mean?’ 

‘Before we left, I got a really weird vibe from Chic. Just be careful, okay?’ 

She sighs and looks at him, biting her lip again. ‘I will be, Jug. You know, you don’t have to worry about me so much. I mean, I know why you are- but you don’t. I can handle myself, and the baby won’t be a big deal for another few months-’ 

‘I think it’s a pretty big deal. It’ll have toenails in a few months.’ 

‘You know what I mean. We have that long to figure out how we’re going to tell our parents and deal with things. School. Jobs. All that.’ 

He sighs and holds her closer. ‘I hope you’re right, Betts.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, lookit me, writing original-ish embellishments based on one line of episode dialogue! I love seeing all the little changes to things like location and character when Riverdale cannon is put into my storyline. The fact that you guys are enjoying this is just extra-wonderful though.
> 
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> P.S.: Jughead is a massive movie buff, so are there any movies you guys would like him to reference in future chapters? I have a few ideas of my own but I'd love to hear what you guys have to say!


	12. Chapter 12

Jughead is running out of time. No, really- he's arranged to meet with Betty later in the day. He wants the article on Hiram Lodge finished and freshly published by yesterday. Yet, with no proof of whatever Hiram could be planning, everything in his mind is pure speculation and frustration. 

He’s commandeered one wall of the trailer, pinning up all his notes and various visual aids. Jughead is staring at the chaos with his hands massaging the headache away from his temples when FP comes in. 

‘Hey. What's all this?’ 

‘Hopefully?’ Jughead sighs. ‘This is the article that saves the town from Hiram Lodge.’ 

‘Jughead-’ 

‘If I can just fit the pieces together-’ 

‘Boy, you need to drop this. He rescued us. He bought the trailer park, forgave our debts.’ FP looks at the wall like it should be set on fire. Jughead stands up, ready to save his work if need be. 

‘What? He's the reason we almost *lost* the trailer park!' 

‘Hiram's slicker than a bottle of snake oil, no doubt,’ FP concedes. ‘But this is-’ 

‘Dad, please!’ Jughead massages the bridge of his nose. ‘Hiram Lodge just bought The Riverdale Register. He's trying to silence dissenting voices before he makes his big play- whatever that is. He's afraid. He's  
afraid of this exposure. This could be the last chance I get to stop whatever he’s planning before it happens and royally screws us all.’ 

‘Son, when a snake’s afraid is when he’ll bite you. You might be my son, and you might be a serpent, but if you step on Hiram’s tail and you’re wrong... Well, nobody is gonna be able to help you then.’ 

FP claps his son on the back and looks at the wall once more. ‘Whatever you do, just watch yourself, Jughead.’ 

Jughead is silent as his father retreats to his room. As usual, the silence doesn’t last long. His phone starts ringing: 

‘Betty?’ 

‘Hey, Jug. Are you free?’ 

‘Actually, I’m very expensive.’ He barely chuckles at his own joke, sensing the serious tone to her voice. ‘What’s up, Betts?’ 

‘Actually, I just found out about Chic- turns out Kevin knows him. He’s a cam-boy.’ 

‘A what?’ 

‘He strips on the internet for money, Jug. Probably a lot of it. Which makes me wonder-’ 

‘Why he’s staying over at your house in pleasantville, not in a mansion in LA.’ Jughead sighs. ‘Nothing’s ever simple in Riverdale, is it?’ 

‘There’s more.’ 

‘Oh?’ 

‘This morning, at about 3 AM- something woke me up-’ 

‘Shocker, was it an earthquake?’ 

‘Nope. Chic.’ 

Jughead sits up and frowns. ‘What?’ 

‘Yeah. Just standing over my bed, staring at me. When he noticed I was awake he pressed his fingers to his lips and left.’ He can feel the fear she’s trying to hide in her voice. 

‘What the hell?’ 

‘Yeah. I was out with Kevin earlier, and when I came back... stuff had been moved around. Not so much that It's obvious. But things were definitely not where I left them.’ She sighs on the other end of the phone and his heart twists for her. ‘I don’t know, Jug. Do I sound crazy?’ 

‘Betty, I think I can safely say that you’re the sanest person in your family.’ 

She chuckles bitterly on the other line before he hears yelling. ‘I have to go, my dad’s calling me. I love you, Jughead.’ 

‘I love you too. Be safe, Betty.’ 

Click.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chic is such a friggin' creep, isn't he? I swear to Cthulhu if he hurts my Bughead I will detonate. 
> 
> I'm thinking about starting a new fic- basically a novelisation of Season 1 of Riverdale. There would be chapters from the perspectives of Archie and Veronica and all the others, so that would probably be fun to write! Let me know if you guys would be interested in reading something like that.
> 
> As always, I hope you're enjoying this fic!


	13. Chapter 13

PART 2: 

 

‘It's been a long time coming, Alice.’ Hal Cooper says, face hard. ‘But I'm out. I'm done fighting. I want a divorce.’ 

 

Betty skips a breath. Alice Cooper doesn’t miss a beat before she snaps, 

‘Are you still seeing Penelope Blossom?’ 

‘No.’ Hal frowns, as though the fact he‘s been seeing a high-profile whore is completely irrelevant to the conversation. ‘This isn't about that. This is about how I worshiped you like a goddess for 20 years. We raised a family together, and then the first chance that you get, you side with a stranger over me?’ 

Hal turns to address his daughter. 

‘And you too, Betty. I can't believe that you would choose Chic's side over your own father.’ 

 

‘Dad, if this is truly about Chic, then I'm with you, okay?’ Betty realises her parents hate each other; but she still glances at the acidic eyes of her mother before tentatively adding, ‘Let's ask him to move out.’ 

 

Alice grits her teeth. ‘You sold The Register to that scumbag, Hiram Lodge. I should be the one divorcing you!’ 

 

‘Hiram offered me a fairer price, Alice.’ Hal meets his wife’s gaze evenly, almost completely emotionless. ‘Half of which I will give to you, if you agree to set me free. Immediately.’ 

 

Alice sits back in her chair. ‘I'm listening...’ 

Betty realises that her parents are serious- this is serious. It also doesn’t concern her directly, so she excuses herself. She feels sick as her eyes glaze over with tears. It makes no sense to be upset over the loss of her parent’s loveless marriage, yet there she is, walking over to the Southside. 

She’s about ready to break down by the time she gets to the trailer. FP answers the door and greets her with a smile, though the pain behind her eyes is obvious. 

‘Jughead! Betty’s here!’ He calls. 

Instantly, the younger Jones appears in the hall. ‘Betty?’ He sees that her eyes are brimming with tears. ‘What’s wrong?’ 

‘I’m making peppermint tea, do you want some?’ FP offers as the couple sit on the small sofa. Betty nods. 

‘Make that two, if you don’t mind, dad.’ Jughead takes both of Betty’s hands and murmurs, ‘Is it Chic? Did he do something? Did he hurt you?’ 

She shakes her head. ‘My parents are getting a divorce, Jug. God, I don’t even know why I’m so upset-’ her face ripples over before the tears start to spill. FP tactically places both their teas on the coffee table and makes a silent retreat to his room, closing the door to give the two more privacy. 

‘It’s not like they’ve been in love anymore, you know?’ Betty sniffs. ‘Hell, they even hate each other, sometimes. Just- my dad sat us all down, after our phone call, and the way he said it- there wasn’t any emotion left in him for us, Jug. He said it was about Chic, but I don’t even know- if we’d never found Chic- would that have made a difference?’ 

Jughead lets her ramble, reminded of when his own parents separated. They weren’t divorced, but they hadn’t lived together for a very long time. When his mother had left, Jughead had no idea it would be forever. How could he? He didn’t know how to tell Betty that maybe this was the best thing her parents could do, maybe they were actually sparing her a lot of hurt... 

Instead, he lets her talk herself out as she sips her tea and tries to calm down. 

‘Sorry I scared your dad away.’ She smiles after a few moments of silence. 

‘Ah, he’s pudding when it comes to you, Betts. I’m sure I’m getting grilled the second you leave on who hurt you and where he can find them.’ Jughead chuckles. ‘Aside from your home life imploding, how are things?’ Is the baby okay with all this? 

Betty grins- the first genuinely happy expression Jughead’s seen on his girlfriend for a while. ‘Things... Things are okay. I’ve been feeling a little bit sick today. Still drowsy. A few aches here and there. But something tells me It's all going to be worth it.’ 

He grins right back at her as his hand ghosts over her belly, almost scared to touch it in case he breaks something. He kisses the top of her head, then her lips. ‘You know, I’m getting pretty glad we’re having a thing.’ 

Betty giggles, nestling into his arms. ‘You know, I think I am too... Let’s just hope our parents feel the same way, huh?’ 

Jughead gulps.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh dear, Betty's having to deal with so much shit right now... Thank goodness she has Jughead there to support her!
> 
> Thanks for reading, I hope you're enjoying.


	14. Chapter 14

Jughead is finalising the latest edition of the Blue & Gold- devoid of any expose on Hiram Lodge once again- when Archie walks in. It’s the first time they’ve seen each other since that weekend at the chateau. The redhead doesn’t mince words: 

‘Are you still going after Hiram Lodge?’ 

Jughead is slightly taken aback. He’d been expecting his friend’s sudden visit to be some weak attempt to make up that Jughead could mock, then begrudgingly accept. ‘Well, that depends...’ He sighs. Nothing in Riverdale is ever simple. ‘Who's asking? You? Veronica? The archfiend himself?’ 

Archie rolls his eyes. ‘Jug, there's gonna be a special election to replace Josie's mom, and Hiram Lodge wants my dad to run.’ 

Well, there’s an interesting development. 

‘What? Why?’ 

‘Who freaking knows?’ Archie runs a hand through his ginger hair and spares a glance at the open door behind them. ‘Jughead, I'm with Veronica, so that means I'm with the Lodges... But my dad, I can't let him get in any deeper with them.’ 

 

Jughead‘s frowning, still trying to process the latest in a long line of seemingly innocent Lodge movements. ‘So? Tell him he shouldn't run.’ 

‘Veronica would kill me if I did. And ditto the Lodges.’ Archie takes a deep breath, as if surrendering something he shouldn’t: ‘Maybe I could give you something. Maybe you could write about it and that might make my dad hit pause.’ 

Jughead’s ears are pricked up. Interesting. ‘Okay.’ 

‘You remember when Hiram Lodge gave Pop Tate that charitable donation to keep the diner open?’ 

‘Yeah, we were all there.’ 

‘Except Hiram Lodge didn't give Pop's a donation- he bought the diner.’ 

Jughead’s eyes widen. ‘What? But-’ 

‘-And for some reason, he doesn't want anyone to know about it. Can you do something with that fact? At least enough to make my dad think twice about this stupid mayor idea.’ 

Jughead’s mind is going a mile a minute. ‘He bought the diner? Hiram Lodge bought Pops?’ 

‘Yes!’ 

‘God! Hiram is like Dracula- snapping up properties from all over Riverdale to expand his empire and feed!’ Jughead paces madly around the room, before turning back to Archie. ‘If what you're telling me is true, everyone is in danger.’ 

.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 

 

Mom? I’m pregnant. 

Mom? May I have your attention? There’s a baby inside me. 

Mom? Mom? Why are you holding that gun to your head, Mom? 

Betty is trying to figure out how to break the news to her mother during dinner when Jughead appears on their doorstep with some very important news about Hiram Lodge that about blows Betty’s unexpected news out of the water. Soon there’s a map of Riverdale spread out on the table 

‘I figured out Hiram's methodology. He acquires devalued land at a deep, some might say *criminal*, discount. Twilight Drive-In, Sunnyside Trailer Park, Southside High, and now...Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe.’ 

Betty and Alice exclaim in unison, 

‘Wait, Pop's?’ 

‘Hiram bought Pop's?’ 

‘Yeah. And while most people didn't care about Hiram's other acquisitions, probably because they were on the Southside.’ Jughead’s lips are knitted into a thin line. 

‘Pop's is the heart of Riverdale.’ Says Betty. 

‘Right. People will care about this one.’ 

‘So, when are you talking to Pop?’ 

Soon, the three enemies of Hiram Lodge hatch a plan. 

 

Up in Betty’s room, she and Jughead are kissing before Alice will inevitably kick him out at midnight. Talk about a Cinderella story. 

Betty gets up to change into her pyjamas, noticing her jeans are becoming uncomfortably tight already. Her shirt off, she stands sideways in front of the mirror, looking down at the bump there that doesn’t look like a baby- it looks like a few too many pizzas. Jughead notices the frown on her face and the worry she’s trying to hide by biting her lip- one of her biggest tells. 

‘You know you’re gorgeous, right Betty?’ 

‘What? Um, I mean-’ Betty sighs. ‘I know it’s silly- I'm going to be as big as a house in a few months, and I’m worried about a little spare tire right now. I can’t help it, I guess... Jug? Jug, what are you doing?’ 

Jughead’s gotten up from the bed and is now on his knees in front of her. He doesn’t reply, instead kissing her burgeoning baby belly. Honestly, there’s hardly anything TO notice. He feels Betty’s hands on his head as he makes sure to kiss every square inch of her belly before he stands up and gives her a deep kiss on the lips. 

‘You’ve never looked better, Betts.’ He leads her over to the bed and takes off her jeans, leaving her in simple underwear- it’s not even the sexy underwear she’s bought since being with Jughead, but he doesn’t notice. Even if he did, he wouldn’t care. 

He kisses her a few more times before he realises it’s already 11:30 and there’s not enough time to do anything serious involving them in their underwear. The couple discovered early on that they hate quickies- Jughead likes to take his time with the beautiful girl beneath him, and she likes him taking his time with her. 

He eventually rolls off of her and she puts on her pyjamas. Her breasts are swollen- that’s the only change Jughead can really notice, and he’s sure as hell not about to complain about it. 

‘You know what happened when Marylin Monroe was criticised for the way she looked?’ He asks when Betty is settled in his arms once more. 

‘No?’ 

‘The magazines hated the way she was showing off her body. One reporter even said she’d look better wearing a potato sack. You know what she did when she read that?’ 

‘Go on?’ 

‘She organised a photo shoot of herself, wearing a potato sack. No embellishments, just holes cut into it for her head and arms. And everyone realised she was fucking sexy in whatever she was wearing.’ 

‘Jughead Jones, are you trying to tell me I’m as pretty as Marylin Monroe?’ 

‘It’s just a comparison. You’re way prettier than her, for the record. But you get my point.’ Jughead blushes. 

Betty senses his discomfort and giggles. ‘I love you, you gigantic cheeseball.’ 

The young couple simply lies there in silence for a while, but then Betty interrupts the quiet. 

‘I was going to tell my Mom tonight.’ 

‘What, with your mouth and your body and your life? No shield?’ 

She slaps his arm and chuckles. ‘You saved me from a horrible fire-y death, showing up when you did.’ 

‘Anything for you, Betts.’ 

‘But we’re going to have to tell people at some point. We should probably start with my Mom, she’s going to have the hardest time with it.’ 

Sighing, Jughead speaks. ‘You’re right. I’d better get my final affairs in order. You can have my crime novels, Archie can take the motorbike, Hiram can have my middle finger.’ 

Betty chuckles. ‘Hopefully she won’t be that bad. She’s not always terrifying, you know.’ 

Jughead snorts. ‘I’m gonna have to take your word on that one.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaawww, good old Juggie is always there to make Betty feel better about herself ^_^
> 
> Hope you're enjoying.


	15. Chapter 15

The first thing that Betty hears when she comes home from school is gurgling. Odd, baby-type gurgling. When he sees Polly stood in the doorway grinning at her she realises she’s not dreaming. She rushes forward to hug her sister, wondering if the rush of mixed emotions she’s feeling is part of her own pregnancy. 

‘Polly! What are you doing home again?’ 

Alice is holding one pink blanket with tears in her eyes. Chic sits next to her with a blue one. 

‘She just walked through the door, with these perfect babies!’ 

Grinning, Polly turns back to Betty. ‘I thought it would be nice to surprise Mom... And I was surprised to meet our brother.’ 

Alice misses the latter part of Polly’s statement, instead exclaiming at Betty, 

‘C’mere! You have to hold one!’ 

Shaking out the tension in her shoulders, Betty smiles. ‘I'd love to.’ 

‘Here.’ Alice offers up the squirming child she’s been balancing on her lap, but Betty can feel Chic’s eyes boreing holes in her skull. At the last minute she awkwardly swerves and takes the child from her brother. The baby giggles happily as she holds it close. 

‘Oh, hello...’ The baby pulls the hair of her ponytail as Betty bounces the boy on her lap. Polly smiles at the sight. She looks so young, yet so much more mature. 

Gone is the sister that Betty grew up playing with and baking with, and instead there’s a young single mother with a twinge of tragedy still in her eyes. The twins must remind her of Jason, Betty thinks, noting the gingery twinge to the girl’s hair. The boy is fairer, but still manages to look so much like Jason it’s uncanny. Polly clears her throat. 

‘Hey, where's Dad, by the way? Are we all gonna go to the will-reading together?’ 

Betty and Alice share a look. 

‘What will-reading?’ 

‘What?’ Polly’s head tilts to one side. ‘You- You mean Dad hasn't told you? It’s Clifford Blossom’s funeral reading tomorrow. Everyone with a so much as a shred of Blossom DNA has been invited. It’s tomorrow at the new Blossom place?’ Tilting her head to one side, Polly frowns, ‘He really hasn’t told you?’ 

‘No.’ Alice furrows her brow and hands the baby girl to Polly. ‘I’ll have to have a... word with him about that.’ She leaves the room and moments later the three Cooper children can hear her yelling down the phone. 

The awkwardness in the air is palpable as Chic stares at the baby in Polly’s arms. Betty clears her throat and addresses her sister, 

‘Hey, I think I have some of our old toys in my room. Wanna show Juniper and Dagwood?’ 

Polly doesn’t need much of an excuse to leave. 

Soon the twins are chewing on old rattles neither of the Cooper girls can quite remember owning. Betty takes mental notes as she sees how Polly holds them, how she speaks to them so softly, and how they respond to everything she does. They’re so comfortable together, like a well-oiled machine. 

‘Were you nervous?’ Betty blurts out, before taking a deep breath. Polly smiles down at the babies. 

‘A little. Jason was terrified. Neither of us were ready, you know? We talked about getting rid of them, before dad tried to make me. After that, I knew for sure I needed to keep them. Actually, Jason turned up outside my window one night when we’d been talking about it.’ Polly laughs at the memory, a sad kind of laugh that betrays the bitterness behind the happiness. ‘He brought me flowers and said he wanted them. No matter what we face together, he always seemed so sure that he wanted to face it as a family, with me.’ She clutches her locket. ‘I miss him, you know? But life’s too short to feel sorry for whatever happens to you. I have the babies now. They should be enough, right?’ 

Betty doesn’t know how to respond to that. ‘I don’t know what I’d do if- well.’ 

‘You and Jughead ever talked about it?’ 

‘We’d probably end up keeping it.’ Betty says slowly, afraid she’s already said too much. ‘How did you deal with it, though? The morning sickness, the aches and pains, the... Everything?’ 

‘Why do you ask?’ Brow raised, Polly gasps. ‘Betty, you aren’t-’ 

‘I am.’ Betty can’t stop herself. She winces before adding, ‘Promise you won’t tell mom. Or dad. Or anyone.’ 

‘Does Jughead know?’ 

‘Yes.’ 

‘And you’re keeping it?’ 

‘Yep.’ 

‘Who else knows?’ 

‘Just you.’ 

Polly tickles Dagwood’s foot. ‘Well, you’re in for a wild ride, little sister.’ She looks up and smiles at Betty. ‘But you won’t regret it.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooh, so now Polly knows Betty and Jughead's big secret! How did you guys like the sisterly love I added in there? I've only heard of such a thing in fairy tales and songs, so I hope I did the real thing justice. I'm trying to give everyone somewhat-realistic chemistry, and I really hope it's shining through somewhere.
> 
> Maybe not in this fic, but somewhere ;)
> 
> As always, I hope you're enjoying. Sorry this update was a lil late.


	16. Chapter 16

Betty wakes up feeling like shit. She calls Jughead and can tell she’s woken him up from the grogginess in his voice. 

‘Betty?’ 

‘Hey, Jug?’ 

‘What’s up?’ 

‘I feel sick.’ 

‘As in- from the-’ 

‘I can only assume.’ Betty puts her hand over her eyes. The sunlight streaming through her blinds is too bright. ‘I have to go to Clifford Blossom’s will reading today... Do you think you could come with me?’ 

‘What time do I have to be there?’ 

Her heart skips a beat and he’s on her doorstep within the hour with a couple of to-go milkshakes from Pops. She can barely stomach half of it, but the sentiment doesn’t go unappreciated as she kisses Jughead on the cheek. He finishes his, and then hers. 

The drive there is quiet. Alice’s presence is a massive elephant in the car, Hal not making eye contact as the girls and Jughead pile into the backseat. 

Chic doesn’t join them either, doesn’t say much as they depart, though Betty swears she can still feel his eyes burning into the back of the car as they drive away. Jughead squeezes her hand. 

.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 

The smaller Blossom estate is still bigger than any other house in Riverdale. Penelope Blossom stands at the door, greeting guests with a grim face. Betty’s hackles rise as she remembers the betrayal of her father. She hopes the sex was worth it. 

The older woman stares the Cooper family down as they approach the entrance. Hal and Polly she lets in with a curt nod, but steps in front of Betty and Jughead like some kind of skeletal bouncer. ‘Family only.’ She narrows her vaguely reptilian eyes. ‘No Serpents.’ 

‘Jughead’s here to support me.’ Betty frowns. ‘He’s a plus one.’ 

‘There’s no room for scum here, Betty.’ Penelope’s voice is upbeat, as though she’s joyfully greeting them. ‘You’re lucky my husband made no exception for serpent sluts, either.’ 

‘Go to hell, Ma’am.’ Jughead growls, before turning to Betty. ‘I’ll be outside. You got this.’ He kisses her and stalks back to the car, shooting Penelope another scathing look. 

Inside, Betty takes a seat with Hal and Polly. A solemn man stands at a podium. 

‘I, Clifford Cochrane Blossom, being of sound mind and body, do here inscribe the terms of my last will and testament. Firstly, ownership of Thistlehouse will stay with our beloved matriarch, Roseanne Blossom.’ Betty spies Penelope try to take Roseanne’s hand, only to be coldly rejected by the oldest woman in the room. 

‘To my wife and partner, Penelope, I leave ownership of our greatest treasure, Thornhill, the exquisite   
mansion she made a home.’ 

Cheryl Blossom makes a snide comment from beside her mother. Betty feels a twinge of pity for Penelope- she might be a bitch, but she’s lost a son and a husband, and now a home. She has nothing. Everyone in the room takes a collective breath as the man continues, 

‘Now, the reason I contacted you and you all travelled to be here... Any and all remaining assets of my fortune will be divided in half. The first half will be distributed equally to anyone in Riverdale who can prove, with medical authentication, that even one drop of Blossom blood flows through their veins.’ 

‘I knew it!’ 

Alice Cooper storms into the room, former Mayor Mccoy in tow. Betty spots Jughead poking his head around a corner, before quickly ducking back behind the wall. His presence goes unnoticed as Alice and Hal’s yelling claims all the attention in the room. 

‘Alice, what the hell are you doing here?’ 

‘Accusing you publicly! You only wanted a divorce so that you could cheat me out of your big, fancy Blossom payday!’ 

‘It's not just *my* payday, the girls share Blossom blood too!’ 

‘My lawyer is gonna rip you apart- isn't that right, Attorney McCoy? I will be taking half of whatever blood money you get from this inbred cesspool of a family!’ The room is silent and Alice crossed her arms, her face red. ‘Yeah, that's right. I said inbred.’ 

‘Would you please just leave?’ Penelope grits her teeth as Alice turns on her, eyes narrowed. 

‘Shut your face, you half-melted ten cent trollop!’ 

Whatever’s been bubbling inside Betty decides to surface, and she dashes to what she hopes is a bathroom, falling on her knees and being sick... Right onto the expensive-looking silk sheets. 

Oh, shit. 

‘Betty!’ Jughead’s right behind her. 

‘My room!’ Penelope Blossom screams at the half-green, half-milkshake that’s now decorating her bed. She screeches at Betty, ‘Get out! Get the hell out!’ 

Betty burps and spits up something sour onto the bed as Jughead helps her up while Penelope screams unrepeatable things at them. 

Jughead shoots her a look that silences her as the older woman walks back into the room where everyone else is listening, confused. Alice Cooper has her arms crossed and is leaning against the bedroom doorframe. 

She leads the young couple to her car, Betty still pale and shaking, looking ready to cry from the embarrassment. 

Alice pulls over close to the trailer park and tells Jughead to get out. He kisses Betty on the cheek before thanking her for the ride. He can see the cogs turning in the elder Cooper’s mind, making his blood run cold. Betty may be insisting that she’d just had something bad to eat the night before, but Alice is not a woman easily fooled. 

It’s only a matter of time before she figures it out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh-oh, Alice is working things out... how do you guys think she'll react?
> 
> Thanks for reading.


	17. Chapter 17

Pop Tate looks up as his favourite customer enters the diner. ‘Usual, Jughead?’ 

 

‘Not today, Pop.’ The younger man’s face looks positively stormy as he sighs, ‘I actually have a question for you. Did Hiram Lodge buy this diner from you?’ 

Pop looks around the diner. It’s empty, but his voice is still barely above a whisper as he answers: 

‘Jughead... The Tates have owned this diner for over 80 years. When my ma gave me the keys, she made me promise that no matter what, I'd always keep this shop in our family.’ Pop looks at the floor he’s been mopping, and mops every day religiously, and sighs. ‘Now, I did what I needed to with Mr. Lodge, but my mother's still with us, God bless... It would kill her to hear I went against her wishes. Please, Jug, can you keep this to yourself while I still have my mom?’ 

Pop Tate looks close to crying- a sight that breaks Jughead’s heart, coming from the man who’s supplied both him and his father with jobs at some point or another; a man who essentially was his father for all the years FP couldn’t stand upright from the ravages of alcohol in his veins. 

‘When my mom leaves us, you can tell whoever you want.’ 

It’s as if Hiram Lodge coordinated every brick in Riverdale to stand in Jughead’s way along his investigation, putting the novice writer in a foul mood as he stalks over to where Betty is meeting him, outside of the hospital. She’s wearing her black wig and clothes that look borrowed from Polly, but Jughead recognises her. 

‘You that ashamed to be seen with me, Cooper?’ 

‘Ssshhh! Keep your voice down! I don’t want anyone to know we’re here.’ Jughead nods curtly in reply as they check into their first prenatal appointment. 

‘Betty Cooper?’ The doctor squints at her keyboard. Betty winces. Shit. She really hadn’t thought this through. 

‘Hello there, how you doing?’ The doctor says, once they’re safely in the small office and Betty’s legs are in the air. The conversation is oddly trivial, considering the doctor is peering into places Betty would rather not have peered at. 

She’s glad when the pap smear is over, and then the ultrasound begins. Her hand squeezes Jughead’s as the doctor spreads a cooling jelly over her belly, and an image begins to unfold on the screen. 

‘See this lump here? That’s the head.’ 

‘Oh my god...’ Betty’s eyes are full of tears and she squeezes Jughead’s hand so hard he’s pretty sure she’s cutting off circulation, but he’s too enraptured by the image that’s squirming across the screen. 

‘When will we be able to tell the gender?’ Betty breathes. 

‘Usually? 18-21 weeks. You’re about 8 weeks along now, it looks like.’ 

‘They’re beautiful...’ Betty smiles, unable to tear her eyes away. 

‘You guys come up with any names yet?’ The doctor grins, wiping away the fluid and putting the machine to one side. 

Betty and Jughead shake their heads. ‘Not yet.’ 

‘Well, I’ll send you an email with the pap smear results, but everything looks great. You’re gonna need to see us again soon, but we’ll email you when you’re due. In the meantime, do you have any questions for me?’ 

Again, they shake their heads. 

All they need to know is their baby is healthy, and by god it is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaawwwwww, baby moments! Will the baby be a boy or a girl? What do you guys think? Please comment and let me know, your feedback gives me life.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	18. Chapter 18

‘How soon do you think we could get those blood tests done?’ Polly asks the very next day. ‘Do you think Dr. Patel works on weekends?’ 

‘I'll call and check.’ Says Alice. 

‘Polly, what's the rush?’ Betty frowns. Jughead cocks his head to one side, immersed in writing his novel next to Betty. He listens to the conversation in the back of his mind. 

 

‘I just wanna know how much money we're inheriting! Between you, me, Chic and the babies, we could start our own version of The Farm!’ Betty tries hard not to shudder at the idea. 

‘Uh, I'm not getting my blood tested.’ Says Chic, not looking up from his cereal. That captures the attention of everyone in the room. 

‘Really, Chic, how come?’ Betty frowns. 

‘Uh, I don't know these people.’ 

‘They're your cousins.’ Alice frowns, putting an arm on Chic’s shoulder to comfort him. Her daughters have never seen her do such a maternal gesture. 

‘We're all Blossoms, like it or not.’ 

‘I'm not, thank the Lord.’ Alice sighs, placing her head on Chic’s shoulder. 

Shaking his head, Chic replies, ‘I don't want their blood money.’ 

‘Don't be stupid.’ Polly says, tilting her head to one side. 

‘I said, I don't want their money.’ Chic looks into his cereal like it’s holding a dark secret. ‘Besides, needles trigger me.’ 

‘Polly, Betty, leave your brother alone. He can decide for himself.’ Alice growls, and the two girls drop the subject. 

Then Polly takes the kids to Pops to meet Cheryl, and Alice and Chic leave for work, leaving just Betty and Jughead in the house. 

‘Ugh, I’m so tired. I feel like if I try to eat anything It's just going to come back up.’ 

‘You have to eat, Betty.’ 

‘I know, I just can’t figure out what.’ Betty licks her lips. ‘I kind of want to fry up a banana, but with salt. Like, a lot of salt. You know?’ 

Jughead chuckles. ‘I might be able to make that happen, you know.’ 

‘Oh my god, I’ll love you forever.’ 

‘You better.’ He kisses her before he gets up and follows through on his promise. 

Soon she’s munching away on something he can’t imagine voluntarily eating, moaning as though It's the most divine thing she’s ever tasted. ‘You’re gonna keep making these.’ It’s halfway between a statement and and order, but he doesn’t complain, instead chuckling and kissing her on her full cheeks. 

‘Okay, Betts, whatever you say.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Awwww, Jughead is such a sweet future father! Gotta love a dude who'll fry his banana for you ;)
> 
> Hope you guys are enjoying.


	19. Chapter 19

It’s the middle of the night when Betty wakes up to a knock at her window. At first she thinks it’s hail, but then it comes again- rapid, quiet, but consistent. She squints as she turns on her bedroom light. 

Jughead is waving excitedly outside the window before she goes over to open it, glancing at the clock. ‘Jug? It’s 1 AM.’ 

‘Oh gosh, I’m sorry Betty, did I wake up you?’ Jughead’s drunk. Oh my god. 

‘Uh, kinda, Juggie. Come on in- just... Try to keep it down, okay?’ 

‘Gotcha. Gonna keep it down for my baby. Both my babies.’ 

Betty chuckles as he collapses on her bed. His breath smells faintly of cider, and she’s reminded of what a lightweight her boyfriend is. Two pints of anything alcoholic and his overworked brain abandons ship. 

‘You’re so pretty, Betty. Even if your tummy is bigger. It’s okay, cuz- cuz your boobs are bigger too, ya know? And you’re still the same Betty Nancy Drew beautiful journalist I’ve been in love with for, I don’t even know, probably forever, y’know?’ 

‘Did you have a fun time out with the Serpents tonight?’ Betty smirks, lying down next to him. 

‘Sweetpea said I couldn’t drink. Showed him for sure, I did! I’m like, king of drinking.’ 

‘Yes, yes you are, Juggie.’ Betty smiles. ‘I thought you didn’t drink?’ 

‘Once in a blue dime. Hey, hey Betty, you know what’s cool?’ 

‘What’s cool, Jughead?’ 

‘The baby is gonna grow, like, 20 centimeters by the end of this month! And he’ll has organs by now, too, and external ears on, like, his neeeeck...’ Jughead yawns, but his eyes are lit up with excitement. 

‘You said ‘he’ll’, Jug.’ Betty smiles, her hand over her subtle baby-bump. ‘You think it’ll be a boy?’ 

‘Mmmmmmmm-hhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...’ Jughead scooches down so that his ear is pressed against her belly. Betty can barely contain her laughter as he rubs it lovingly. ‘Pretty baby boy. Hates sport and love boooks.’ 

She rubs the top of his head, removing his beanie and placing it on her night-stand. ‘I was thinking it’d be a girl, actually. She’d be crappy at sports, but she’d definitely love books. And writing. She’d be published by the time she’s out of diapers.’ 

Jughead nods against her belly. ‘Mmmm. That’d be nice.’ 

Betty’s about to say something more, when she hears him snoring. She smiles and keeps stroking his hair. Everything about her Jughead is softer than he is with everyone else. He touches her like he’s terrified she’s going to break, or leave. He kisses her like she’s the most valuable person in the world, and even his voice changes when it’s just the two of them- so incredibly soft and caring. 

Betty feels her eyelids drifting closed when something of an alarm light switches on in her brain- she's wide awake in an instant, but instinctively keeps her eyes half-closed, practically asleep. From the periphery of her vision she can make out a dark silhouette in her room, pacing closer to the bed. It’s too skinny to be her mother, and her father is staying in a motel. That leaves one person in the house. 

But what’s Chic doing in her room? 

Not much, apparently. He stands still and quietly stares at her, seeming unfazed by the fact her boyfriend is in her bed. He walks over to her dresser, and manages to silently open it. Betty’s heart is beating so loudly in her chest she’s sure that he must be able to hear it- but if Chic can, he gives no indication. 

He’s rummaging through her clothing, towards the back of the drawer where she keeps her underwear. Betty feels heat rising to her face as he rummages through the secret parts of her life- the parts meant for Jughead. 

He pulls out the black lingerie, the wig, the lipstick, and sets them silently on the dresser. To her surprise, he doesn’t take anything. Instead, he reaches into the drawer again. 

No, he can’t possibly know about- 

Click. 

Chic freezes, staring at Betty and Jughead as if to make sure they’re still asleep. 

How the hell does he know about the secret compartment of her drawer? Betty fights hard to control her breathing as she realises. He’s done this before. 

Carefully, still keeping an eye on Betty and Jughead, Chic pulls out Betty’s pills. She hasn’t had a need for them since before she and Jughead started dating- her anxiety has been under control for the better part of 6 months, now. Chic seems many things, but anxious? Definitely not. So what could he want with them? 

Chic’s silence answers none of the questions swimming around Betty’s head as he carefully puts everything back, save for one cylinder of pills, which he quietly pockets. Everything is placed exactly where it had been within the drawer, apart from Betty’s wig. Chic holds it up to his nose for a minute, seeming to inhale deeply. The sight makes Betty’s blood run cold as he seems to scoff and leave it on the desk- perhaps to mess with her, perhaps as a warning. 

With one final glare at what he assumes to be the sleeping couple, Chic leaves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn! What's Chic up to?
> 
> How did you guys feel about drunk Bughead? Adorable or too twee?
> 
> Hope you guys are enjoying.


	20. Chapter 20

‘We gotta get aggressive, Kev.’ Says Betty, turning on the laptop in her newsroom for the Blue & Gold. ‘Chic's turning down a lot of money because he's refusing to take a blood test- and we need to find out why. 

 

‘What exactly is he hiding?’ Kevin says sceptically. ‘And what am I supposed to do? Just ask him?’ 

‘I have a plan. It's slightly insane.’ 

Kevin sighs but Betty knows he’ll do anything she asks as she tells him to log on to the camming site where Chic seems to be a famous resident. Within moments, Kevin and Chic are talking. 

‘Hey, stranger. Been missing your cute face. Where'd you go?’ 

‘Uh, yeah, sorry.’ Betty wants to facepalm at how terrible undercover-Kevin is. She’d hoped he’d have inherited *something* from his sheriff father. ‘I went MIA. I actually just got tested for the first time- I'm negative but it's been pretty intense.’ 

Chic seems unfazed. 

‘Your first test? Congrats, cowboy- that's a milestone.’ 

Kevin keeps looking at Betty for help, as though he can’t carry a conversation on his own- all he has to do is ask questions! Betty mouths at him, frustrated. 

‘Uh, do you get tested?’ 

‘Yeah, I used to go every week.’ Chich chuckles at the memory, almost sounding human. ‘Man, I had the worst scare once.’ 

Kevin looks up at Betty again, and she mouths more encouragement at him. 

‘Oh, yeah? What happened?’ 

‘Well, it's a long story but, uh... I was living with a rougher crew than I am now.’ 

Finally! A breakthrough! Kevin looks at Betty for more confirmation as she mouths at him again, frantic to find out more. What’s he hiding? 

 

‘Wait,’ Chic’s voice bursts from the speakers before Kevin can say anything, ‘Are you talking to somebody else?’ 

The laptop slams down so fast Betty can hear it crack as Kevin yelps, 

‘That's it, that's it. I'm out!’ 

‘No! What do you mean, Kev?’ 

‘Sorry, Betty, but your brother actually seems like a really good guy and this is starting to make me feel like a really bad person.’ Kevin takes a deep breathe, but all Betty can see is Chic sneaking into her room at night, looming over her like the angel of death. ‘Sorry, but I'm done.’ 

She opens her mouth and tries to say something, but all of a sudden she can’t speak. Darkness surrounds her field of vision, and the last thing she hears before she passes out is Kevin calling her name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh-oh. What do you guys think is wrong with Betty? Will she be okay?? I HOPE SO!
> 
> Thanks for reading, I hope you're enjoying everything so far.


	21. Chapter 21

‘Well?’ Archie says as he and Jughead walk to their final period, which they have free, ‘Did Pops confirm Mr. Lodge bought the diner?’ 

Jughead’s hangover isn’t ready to put up with this conversation. ‘Yeah, he did.’ The skinny boy sighs, ‘But I'm sorry, I can't publish that article, Archie. It would break Pop's heart.’ 

Archie stops walking. Jughead sighs again and turns to face him. 

‘Jug, we can't give up. I think my dad's gonna run.’ 

Archie, I have talked to every possible suspect connected to the Lodges, even Mayor McCoy. They're all on lockdown.’ 

‘Maybe you've been talking to the wrong McCoy.’ The redhead looks pensive for a moment. ‘I’ll talk to Josie, see if she can get her mom to say something- anything that could stop my dad from running.’ 

‘Sounds like a good plan.’ Someone in the chem labs drops a piece of lab equipment, and Jughead’s brain throbs in complaint at the loud noise. ’In the meantime, I’ll keep looking for leads. You’re still working that... ‘Internship’, for Mr Lodge?’ 

Archie nods. ‘The only way to stop my dad from making the biggest mistake of his life is to get all the information I can. I can do that better by staying close to Mr Lodge’s side.’ 

‘The hand of Midas,’ Jughead chuckles. ‘Fair enough. Let me know what you hear.’ 

They begin walking again as Jughead’s phone rings- a teacher shoots the boys a dirty look and shushes them as Jughead picks up. ‘Hello?’ 

‘Jughead?’ 

‘Kevin?’ 

‘Jughead, you gotta get to Riverdale Hospital. It’s Betty.’ 

‘What? What happened?’ 

‘I dunno, she won’t tell me and neither will the doctors. Just get down here, alright? She keeps asking for you.’ 

‘I’m on my way.’ 

Click. 

Jughead turns to Archie. ‘You still got that car Mr Lodge has been lending you?’ 

‘Yeah, why?’ 

‘Betty’s in hospital, I gotta get down there. Right now.’ 

Archie’s eyes widen. ‘What happened?’ 

Jughead’s already running halfway down the hall, ‘Hurry up!’ 

The car ride there is torturous, with Archie skirting the delicate line of the speed limit the entire drive. 

‘Can’t this thing go any faster?’ 

‘Calm down, Jug. I’m sure Betty’s fine. How did Kevin sound on the phone?’ 

‘Worried. She wouldn’t tell him what’s wrong.’ 

‘Maybe it’s just a broken bone or something? She could’ve dropped something heavy in the newsroom.’ 

Jughead grits his teeth as his heart rate skyrockets. ‘If that were the case, she’d have told Kevin.’ He beats his hand against the car door in frustration. ‘Fuck!’ 

‘Hey man, don’t take it out on the car. Betty is gonna be just fine, okay?’ 

‘She’s pregnant.’ 

The car swerves as Archie’s brain skips a beat. ‘What?’ 

Jughead didn’t mean to say that. He shouldn’t have said that. Oh, shit. She’s going to kill me. 

‘Betty’s pregnant?’ Archie’s knuckles are white against the steering wheel. ‘Jug, you can’t just go silent on me now. Tell me everything.’ 

‘She- we don’t- we’re not telling anyone. Not until we figure out how.’ 

‘Better figure out fast, Jug, because you’re not getting out of this car until I know what’s up with you two.’ 

‘I just told you Betty’s pregnant- what more could you possibly need to know? The type of condom that fucked up on us? The position?’ 

‘I’d settle for how far along she is.’ 

‘2 months.’ 

‘2 months?! And you haven’t told anyone?!’ 

‘What, you’ve never kept a secret from anyone?’ 

‘I’ve never gotten a girl pregnant, Jughead.’ 

‘Good for you.’ 

With that, they’re at the hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, now Archie knows our little Bughead secret... Who'll be next? How do you guys feel about his reaction?
> 
> Please comment and let me know if you're enjoying the story so far, your comments keep me alive! ;)
> 
> Thanks for reading.


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, there's a couple bombshells waiting for you in this chapter... I hope you enjoy.

At the hospital, the doctors inform Betty that she fainted due to a sudden change in blood pressure due in part to her pregnancy. She’s going to be just fine, but she needs to take it easy. 

‘Your children are fine, Miss Cooper. The fainting was caused by a sudden change in blood pressure. Tell me, were you stressed out? Moving around a bit faster than usual? Had you eaten something high in sodium?’ 

‘Uhhhh...’ Betty’s tongue still isn’t quite sure how to say, “all of the above”, so she just nods and the doctor seems to understand. 

Wait... Children? 

‘Well, we’d like to keep you here overnight for observation, but that’s just a precaution- you and your babies are just fine.’ 

‘Babies?’ 

The doctor smiles. ‘Yes, the triplets all have healthy heartbeats now.’ 

‘THE WHAT?’ Betty suddenly feels like she’s about to pass out again. ‘I- I-’ 

‘You didn’t know?’ The doctor frowns. 

‘The u-ultrasound, it- they said- it was just one-’ 

The doctor’s head cocks to one side as Betty’s heart monitor starts beating like a hummingbird’s wings. ‘Okay, please calm down, Miss Cooper.’ She looks down at the chart and nods slightly. ‘It’s uncommon to miss a twin during ultrasound. Less than 5% of them, I’d say. I’ve never heard of missing a triplet, but I suppose it’s not impossible. I’ll schedule another scan for you in a couple of weeks, juto to make sure everybody’s fine. Is that okay?’ 

Betty nods, heart still beating fast. ‘Is there any way I can go home tonight?’ 

‘May I ask why?’ 

‘Well it’s- you- my mum-’ Betty stumbles over her words, but again this seems to be a scenario the doctor knows all-too-well. 

‘Your mother doesn’t know about the pregnancy?’ 

Betty shakes her head. 

The doctor seems to think for a moment. ‘Is there anything you can tell her? Maybe you’re sleeping over at a friends, or your boyfriend-’ 

‘Betty!’ Jughead bursts into the room, with Kevin and Archie in tow. ‘Are you alright? Is-’ He pauses before blurting anything out- ‘Is everything all right?’ 

‘I take it you’re the-’ 

‘Boyfriend!’ Betty interrupts the doctor before her secret can be revealed to Archie and Kevin. ‘Yep. That’s him. Kev, can I use your phone? I’m gonna text my mom to let her know I’m... Staying at Ronnie’s.’ 

‘Why?’ 

‘The doctor says I have to stay a night, just to be safe.’ 

Kevin hands his phone to her, still not quite understanding why Alice Cooper shouldn’t know about her daughter’s sudden hospitalisation. 

‘If you just sign here, Miss Cooper, I’ll get out of your way.’ The doctor turns to her friends and says in a kindly-yet-clinical manner, ‘Visiting hours are over at 8:30 PM and start again at 7 AM. We’ll be discharging your friend at around that time tomorrow morning.’ 

‘Thank you, Doctor Patel.’ Betty smiles gratefully, signing a sheet that confirms her admission and approximate date of discharge, while simultaneously signing Dr Patel into confidentiality- she can’t tell Alice Cooper anything. Thank god. 

After making sure everything is okay with Betty- she makes up a story about getting overly stressed about school that everyone (barring Jughead) seems to buy- Archie makes up an excuse to leave early, taking Kevin with him and leaving Betty and Jughead alone. She smiles gratefully at the redhead as they leave, waving goodbye to a very confused Kevin. 

‘Is the baby...?’ Jughead asks in a low voice, searching her eyes. 

‘The baby’s fine, Jug.’ Betty grins at his sigh of relief. She can’t tell him that it isn’t a baby anymore- she doesn’t quite believe it. Her mind threatens to swim with all the questions she can’t answer- are they going to be okay? How are they going to afford three? What will Jughead’s reaction be? Maybe he’ll panic and leave her- and could she blame him? 

‘Are you? Fine?’ The worry written across his face melts her heart. 

‘Yeah, they said it was stress and high sodium or something like that. The point is, I’m not getting stressed for the next... 7 months?’ 

‘7 months.’ 

‘Before I explode.’ 

‘And we become parents.’ 

‘And my mom kills you.’ 

Jughead chuckles, taking hold of her hand. ‘Don’t remind me.’ Something dark flickers over his face, causing Betty to frown. 

‘What is it?’ 

‘I told Archie today. When he was driving me over here.’ 

‘You WHAT?’ 

‘Not on purpose! It just sort of... Blurted out of me.’ 

‘My fist is gonna do that to your face if you do that in front of my parents.’ 

‘Betty, if I did that in front of your parents, I’d be more broken than Humpty-Dumpty by the end of it.’ 

Betty laughs. ‘How did Archie react?’ 

‘He promised not to tell anyone, and nearly crashed the car. But, I think he’s fine with it.’ Jughead kisses the back of Betty’s hand, giving her butterflies. 

She lies back in the bed and sighs. ‘One down, the rest of Riverdale to go.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, the secrets are out! All two of them! Do you think Betty is doing the right thing, not telling Juggy yet?
> 
> I know this might be the least believable chapter, but please play along- in my research I have found some cases of disappearing and re-appearing twins on ultrasounds, so I figured poor Bughead might just get a more melodramatic version of that! ^_^
> 
> Please comment your own reactions below, I'm really curious to know how you guys feel about the news!
> 
> Thanks for reading.


	23. Chapter 23

Alice Cooper, it seems, fell for the sleepover story without a hitch. This was clearly evidenced by Jughead’s head, still attached to his shoulders on Saturday morning. Betty, Alice and Polly were in the living room, playing with the babies once more. Betty found herself taking more and more mental notes the more time they spent together. 

Juniper laughed while Dagwood screeched with what Betty hoped was laughter, though when she felt a dark and familiar presence behind her, she knew better. 

‘Oh. Hello.’ 

Chic ignored her greeting, focusing his predatory gaze on Alice instead. 

‘Mom! I'm late for work, can you drive me?’ 

 

For once, Alice didn’t look up and didn’t drop everything on its head for her only son. 

‘Not right now, Chic, I'm with the twins. Take the bus or walk.’ 

Betty doesn’t miss the fire behind Chic’s eyes as he grits his teeth and mumbles a deathly ‘Okay’ before all but slamming the door behind him. Alice seems oblivious to the violence bubbling beneath the surface of their interaction, while Polly and Betty share a look. 

‘I’m gonna take them for a walk around the block.’ Polly says after a while. ‘That should settle them down.’ 

‘I’ll get my coat.’ Alice grins, before Betty grabs her arm. 

‘Actually, mom? Could you stay and help me redraft this article? It’s for the front page of the Blue and Gold, I feel like it’s missing something.’ 

Alice’s eyes blaze- it's evident how much she misses the opportunity to write and edit freely, since Hal sold the newspaper. She turns to Polly, who already has the twins loaded into their stroller, and nods. 

‘I’ll catch up with you. Try taking them to Pickin’s Park- you and Betty always loved that.’ 

‘I’ll meet you there.’ 

‘Now, Betty. Show me this article of yours.’ 

Betty pulls out a random article that she deems good enough for the front page, but bad enough to warrant her mother going over it. The article isn’t the point, Alice soon realises, as her daughter is unusually quiet. 

The doorbell rings. 

‘I’ll get it!’ 

‘Hello, Mrs Cooper.’ Jughead says, suddenly pulling up a chair next to Alice, as though he’s been invited to do so. Alice frowns at Betty, who gives a nervous smile. 

‘Mom... We have something to tell you.’ 

The cogs that have been turning in Alice Cooper’s head since Clifford Blossom’s will-reading pause, analysing the new data, before beginning to turn at twice the usual speed. She knows why Jughead is here. She knows why Betty is so nervous, and why she’s trying so hard to cover it up. She’s been through it herself. 

Pregnancy. 

She hardly hears her daughter’s confession, hardly notices the sweat dribbling down the forehead of the Jones boy, or the tears gathering in her daughter’s eyes. 

I’m pregnant. 

Alice thinks back to when she’d told her own parents, and fury rushes through her- not just directed at her daughter, either. 

‘How dare you?’ She interrupts Betty to snarl at the Jones boy. ‘How dare you?’ She repeats, standing up. 

‘Mom-’ 

‘Quiet, Betty!’ Her vitriol is focused solely on the spawn of the man who had once come close to ruining her life- ‘You idiot! What do you have to say for yourself, before I pull out your tongue?’ 

‘We’re keeping it!’ Jughead exclaims, as Alice is about to see red. There’s a stutter in her anger as she’s taken off-guard. 

‘W-what?’ 

‘We’re keeping the baby, mom.’ Betty stands up, mirroring her mother’s glare. ‘That’s our decision.’ 

‘Who do you think you’re talking to?’ 

‘Mom?’ 

Polly’s home. 

‘What’s going on?’ 

‘We’re telling mom,’ Betty explains. Polly’s eyes go wide as she sees the red of Alice’s face. 

‘That’s where you’re wrong, Betty. I’m kicking this- this Serpent, out of my house!’ 

‘Mom!’ Betty cries, trying to step between her mother and her boyfriend. ‘No!’ 

‘I can’t believe you’re doing this again.’ Polly mumbles. Everyone turns to face her. 

‘E-excuse me?’ Alice stutters, silently grateful there’s no sharp, blunt, or heavy objects nearby to hit the father of her grandchild with. 

‘You don’t remember, mom? Because I sure as hell do.’ Polly rocks the twins’ stroller back and forth, staring daggers at her mother. ‘I remember when I told you, I was alone. I was scared, and you and dad didn’t listen to me. Now- now just look where you are, once again!’ 

Alice doesn’t know what to say. 

Polly sighs. ‘Jason would’ve done right by me. You know that.’ 

Silence. 

‘Now, I’m raising two children who’ll never know their father, on my own. No matter how much you and Betty help me out, that won’t ever make up for what you did, and it won’t ever replace Jason.’ Tears overwhelm Polly’s eyes as her hands ball into fists. ‘Don’t make the same mistake again, mom. Don’t.’ 

The cogs in Alice Cooper’s head have gone from 500-0 in a matter of seconds. Sensing an opportunity to speak, Jughead finally opens his mouth. 

‘I’m going to be here for this ki- this baby, Mrs Cooper. I love Betty just as much as you do-’ 

‘You don’t know how much I love my daughter.’ 

‘I know that I love her, Mrs Cooper. And I’ll love this baby. And I’ll be there to support your daughter, the whole way through this. And beyond. I want to be a father to this baby, and I’m not going anywhere. I’m taking full responsibility for this, along with Betty.’ At Alice’s shocked silence, he quickly adds, ‘I love Betty.’ As though he’s never said it before, much less three times in the last minute. 

‘You know,’ Alice says slowly, eyes narrow, ‘One day I just might believe you.’ 

Arms crossed, she turns to Betty. ‘I was worried this would happen. That you’d want it sooner rather than later.’ 

‘I didn’t plan for this, mom. It just...’ Betty sighs, ‘Happened.’ 

Alice doesn’t answer, only nods curtly before trudging upstairs, apparently in deep thought. Her hands skim the side of Juniper and Dagwood’s stroller as she passes it. 

‘Well,’ Sighs Betty, ‘That went well.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, that could've gone better, huh?
> 
> To be fair, if I was Alice Cooper I'd probably have an aneurysm from all the stress of being a total badass mom all the time.
> 
> What do you guys think?
> 
> Hope you're enjoying, thanks for reading.


	24. Chapter 24

Jughead allows Hiram Lodge to be his main focus of the mornings, while watching out for Alice Cooper with a hunting rifle tends to take over his afternoons and evenings, along with holding Betty’s hair back while she vomits. 

Lately, Betty seems like she’s been hiding something- he can’t put his finger on what, though. He sighs and tries to focus on his morning-problems. 

‘Hiram's gonna beat the clock.’ He says, surveying the dedicated wall of his trailer. His father sips an herbal tea in the background. ‘Feels like every step I make, he's two or ten steps ahead of me. He's lapping me!’ 

‘He's been winning at this game a whole lot longer than you've been alive,’ FP observes. 

‘Because he's been rigging the game! And everyone's too afraid to come out and speak against him!’ 

‘You know, uh...’ FP sighs, staring hard at the floor, ‘There's one person you haven't asked to go on the record yet.’ 

Jughead’s ears prick up. ‘Who?’ 

‘Me. You know, back in the day, Hiram asked me and the Serpents to trash the drive-in so he could buy it for rock-bottom price... And we complied.’ 

Jughead isn’t sure he heard that last part right. He frowns. 

‘On purpose? You ‘worked’ for Hiram Lodge?’ 

‘I'll own up to that.’ FP meets his son’s gaze evenly, ‘On the record, if it'll help you bring him down.’ 

‘Dad...’ That’s too much. I don’t want to incriminate you. 

-This is what Jughead feels he should say, as a son. The reporter in him, however, is begging him to say exactly the opposite. 

‘... Thank you.’ He glances at the clock- almost time for school. He sighs as he decides it’s time to tell FP. Betty shouldn’t need to be there for the ensuing explosion. ‘Dad, I have something else to-’ 

Jughead glances down at his phone. An unknown caller. His intrigued father watches as Jughead presses the phone close to his ear. 

‘Hello?’ 

 

‘Jughead Jones?’ The voice is deep, unfamiliar, and utterly intriguing. ‘I have information about Hiram Lodge's plans.’ 

Jughead’s heart stops. 

‘Riverdale bus terminal. 20 minutes.’ 

Click. 

‘Who was that?’ Asks FP. Jughead looks up from his phone, which seems to have automatically deleted the most recent call from its memory. 

‘I have no idea... But you may not have to go on the record just yet.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not much Bughead in this chapter, I'm afraid- but I had to get this part of the episode out of the way so we could get back to that warm, fuzzy goodness! Hence the early an very short chapter hahaha.
> 
> Hope you're enjoying. Your comments are keeping me writing, so thanks for all your support!


	25. Chapter 25

Betty snoops through Chic’s bedroom and finds an old family photo with Hal cut out of it. Her blood runs cold as she realises it’s been folded along one side, as if to cut Polly and herself out too- leaving just Alice in the frame. Betty is snooping through Chic’s bathroom because some of her things have gone missing. She recovers a dental floss and leaves just as Chic comes in. 

Betty sits on her bed in front of her mirror, observing her bump. It’s definitely there now- like a permanent large dinner that will only expand over the coming months. Her hand rubs it slightly, imagining what it would be like to feel a kick. Imagining what it’s going to be like to try holding three new-borns. 

How have women been doing this for thousands of years? 

This is the position Alice Cooper finds her in, clearing her throat as she sits on the opposite end of her daughter’s bed. 

‘Betty?’ 

Her daughter doesn’t respond, still staring pointedly at her reflection. 

‘Betty, I’m sorry. About how I reacted. It wasn’t fair of me to put all my anger onto Jughead, or to make you feel like you had made a purposeful mistake. But you have to understand-’ 

‘Mom, there’s a human being growing inside me.’ Betty sighs. More than one... Her mother doesn’t need to find that out yet, right? ‘It’s crazy, and wild, and I made it with Jughead. Any normal kind of understand of this situation feels like it’s kind of out of the window. We don’t have time for your woe-is-me, shame-upon-you bullshit right now. I’m sorry mom, but we just don’t. Jughead and I are having this baby, and- and if you try to send me away, he’ll find me. You have to know he will.’ 

‘He really loves you, doesn’t he?’ 

‘He does.’ 

‘And this is what you want?’ 

Betty nods, ‘But not what I planned.’ She looks down at the bump. ‘Maybe it’ll be better. A little pregnancy never stopped anyone from writing, did it?’ 

‘That’s my girl.’ Alice smiles, a burst of pride coming into her eyes. ‘Chic says congratulations, by the way. He’s too shy to tell you himself.’ 

Betty’s blood runs cold. ‘Really? He said that?’ 

‘Oh yes, he adores you and Polly. You know, I think he’s enjoying being a part of this family.’ 

‘I bet.’ 

Alice’s eyes narrow at her youngest daughter, before she sighs, ’There’s something I came up here to say to you, just in case.’ 

‘Just in case of what?’ 

‘In case this isn’t what you want.’ Alice moves closer to her daughter, looking at them both in the mirror. Betty can’t quite place the look on her face. ‘When I was pregnant with Chic, my parents didn’t give me a choice. And I regretted it, but your father never did. And I always thought it was the right thing to do. I still think I was right, but I also know you, Betty. You’re stronger than I ever was. If I’d been a stronger mother, I wouldn’t have let happen to Polly what happened to me.’ 

‘Mom-’ 

‘Let me finish, Betty. I thought I was doing right by your sister, making her give up the twins. I thought my parents had done right by me, forcing me to give my son away...’ She sighs and looks her daughter in the eyes. ‘Betty, nobody knows what the right thing to do is. At any given time. If I’d done what had felt right, god knows where we’d be. Maybe we’d be a better family in a worse house. Maybe we wouldn’t. My point is, you never know what’s going to happen- you just have to make sure you’re prepared to roll with the punches.’ 

Betty tries to make sense of what her mother has just told her. 

‘So... You don’t think I should keep it, but you won’t send me away if I do?’ 

‘I’m giving you the choice I never had, the choice I never gave Polly. I’m supporting you, Betty.’ Alice gets up from the bed, but before she leaves she pauses at the doorframe. 

‘And if that Jones boy hurts you or screws you over, he’s going to wish he was Jason Blossom.’ 

The idea sends a shiver down Betty’s spine. 

When she’s sure her mother has gone out shopping, Betty gets up and listens throughout the house. Silence. Polly must be out with the babies. Chic must be at work. She breathes a sigh of relief and is still cautiously quiet as she stalks over to Chic’s room. 

It’s empty, and smells vaguely of weed- at least Chic’s been smart enough to leave the windows open and light several candles, the remnants of which are strewn about the room. Betty wonders if her mother would even care if she caught her favourite son with drugs, as long as he wasn’t hurting himself. 

The dresser is relatively empty- there's work clothes and a few miscellaneous t-shirts, along with a few pairs of jeans- behind which are several cylinders of Betty’s pills. She finds each container is empty, save for one- Chic must have realised he’s nearly out of them- there's hardly any left. 

Reaching further back behind the clothes, she finds more bottles- this time, for medications she hasn’t been prescribed. Her eyes widen. Who else could he have gotten these from? Where? Why? 

Shaking her head, she takes a few quick photos of the labels on the bottles, before placing everything back in its original position. 

Beneath the bed, she finds nothing- a small cardboard shoebox, covered in glitter. It looks leftover from when this was Polly’s bedroom, yet Betty pulls it out anyway, gasping as she takes off the lid. 

Inside are matches, needles, a swiss army knife, a notebook, and a pair of scissors. 

Betty opens up the notebook, and a photograph falls out- a family photo Betty recognises from an old album. It shows her, Polly, and her parents; laughing in front of the house. Before Polly met Jason. Before the sparks of darkness within Riverdale were fanned into a black flame that threatened to overwhelm the town and everyone in it. 

Yet, Hal isn’t in the picture. 

He’s been cut out. 

Betty flips through the notebook, trying to find where Chic could possibly have glued it, when she notices the scraps of paper littering the bottom of the box, like paper snowflakes. She picks a flake up and gasps as she sees it shows a part of her father’s face, only terribly disfigured- as though the needles have been used to scratch the photograph, almost beyond recognition. 

This alone would be enough to bother Betty, but she notices lines in the photo- it's been folded. Betty assumes it’s in preparation to make another cut. One line separates Polly from Alice and Betty, and one line separates Betty from Alice. 

Feeling sick for reasons other than her pregnancy, Betty quickly places everything back in the box. 

She needs to figure out who the hell Chic is. 

DNA testing. The Blossoms... There has to be something in this room she can use. 

In the bathroom, she looks everywhere- even through the trash. Luckily, she finds a tiny strand of hope- that is, dental floss. She quickly wraps it up in a tissue for protection, slipping it into her pocket as she exits the bathroom- 

Finding Chic staring at her. 

She doesn’t know how long he’s been there, or what he‘s seen. 

His blank face tells her nothing. She’s expecting a silent threat, or even a loud one. Instead, he says something even worse. 

‘Wasn't better when it was just me, you, and Mom?’ 

‘Uh...You- You don't like Polly?’ 

He sidesteps the question like an expert: 

 

‘Love is finite. People run out of it eventually. They stop loving you, or they start loving someone else. One day, the sun is shining down on you and the next, you're alone. And it's cold. And dark.’ 

There’s something new in his eyes. Something that might once have been sadness, but Betty isn’t sure what It's become, inside his mind. 

‘Chic... Are you okay?’ 

Chic sighs, as if the question has disappointed him. ‘Don't use my bathroom again, Betty.’ 

Betty smiles and nods awkwardly, leaving as quickly as she can. As she leaves, she notices something shiny and metallic in Chic’s hand- a blade. 

Pretending not to notice, Betty locks her bedroom door and tries to process the information she’s just uncovered. First, she has to dash into her bathroom to be sick. Then she texts Jughead. 

‘Hey. You gotta get over here ASAP. Use the window. Xx'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh Chic, thou art truly a fuckin' creep.


	26. Chapter 26

PART 14: 

Riverdale bus terminal is never exactly swinging. Today it seems downright dead. Jughead looks around and sees a driver sat on one of the seats, waiting, reading a newspaper that all-too-conveniently seems to cover his face. Jughead takes a opposite him. Before he can figure out what to say, the man speaks: 

‘I haven't much time.’ 

‘Are you Deep Throat?’ 

‘You've been calling everyone in town for information about Hiram Lodge, but not me. That's why I called you.’ 

So this was the informant. From the corner of his eye, Jughead could see he was a very old and inconspicuous man. He spoke with a waver to his voice, as though he had been working for Hiram Lodge for a very long time. The seriousness of his demeanour did not fit his bus-driver uniform. 

‘No offense, but how does a bus driver have insider information on Hiram Lodge?’ 

‘I used to be someone else. Someone who was privy to Hiram Lodge's personal affairs. Someone who suffered at his whims.’ 

‘What kind of personal affairs?’ 

‘I coordinated transportation for Mr. Lodge, sometimes out to Shankshaw Prison. He also received mail from the warden there.’ 

‘Shankshaw? That's not where Hiram Lodge served time.’ 

The old man keeps his newspaper up, covering his mouth from the security cameras. 

‘I'm afraid that's all I have for you.’ 

‘That's it?’ 

‘And one more thing. A question. What are you planning to do with this information?’ 

‘I’m going to take down Hiram Lodge.’ 

The old man scoffs, getting up and walking over to his next bus. ‘You don’t know what you’re dealing with.’ 

At that moment, Jughead gets a text from Betty: 

‘Hey. You gotta get over here ASAP. Use the window. Xx' 

He frowns at his phone before realising that, with their track record for emergencies, he’d better start running. 

He makes it to the Cooper house in record time, has the ladder pressed up against the window and is tapping at the glass with his fingernails in less than 15 minutes. He can barely breathe from running so far so fast. 

‘Jug!’ Betty’s crying as he steps into the room, throwing herself into his arms. 

‘Betty? What’s wrong?’ 

‘I’m sorry, I’m being so stupid- I know I shouldn’t put this shit on you but-’ 

‘It’s fine, Betty. It’s so fine- you know you’re gonna be hormonal, right? You can’t help it. Just tell me what’s upsetting you.’ 

They sit down on the bed and he wraps his arms around her, wiping the tears off her cheeks with his thumbs as he pulls back to study her face. ‘It’s alright, Betts. I’m here- just tell me what’s up.’ 

‘I love you, Juggy.’ 

‘Well, I hope that’s not what’s upsetting you... Is it?’ 

She shakes her head against his chest. 

‘Is it your mom? Because you know you can always stay at mine until she cools down- my dad is always fine with that. We could tell him together, and I don’t think he’d care- well, obviously he’d *care*, but-’ 

‘It’s Chic.’ 

Jughead’s grip tightens on Betty. ‘What?’ He pulls back to search her eyes. ‘Did he hurt you? If he has I swear I’ll-’ Jughead stops himself, afraid of scaring Betty even more. ‘...What did he say?’ 

‘He’s been sneaking into my room at night. Even while you’re here. He waits until we’re asleep, and he goes through my stuff. He’s been taking some of my pills- you know, when my anxiety was so bad I had to medicate myself through the day? He found where I hid those, and he takes them. I hardly have any left now- but that’s not all...’ 

Jughead’s vision goes blurry and tinged with red as Betty tells him about the photograph- the folds between her and her family, and the confetti of Hal, her fear when Chic had found her coming out of his bathroom... He can’t believe that his girlfriend can live in somewhere so terribly dangerous, especially when the doctor has told her not to get stressed. 

He wants to get rid of Chic- to do whatever it takes to protect Betty from whatever he’s planning to do. Jughead wants to do what he’s done only once before- he wants to drive Chic to the middle of the woods and mutilate him- not seriously, but just enough to make him stay away. He’s halfway through planning how to pitch the idea to the younger Serpents when Betty sniffles and looks up at him 

‘I know that look, Jug. No.’ 

‘What look is it? This isn’t a look. I’m just thinking.’ 

‘You made the same face when you told be you weren’t going to join the Serpents because it would be a bad idea. And what happened there?’ 

‘Okay, point taken.’ Jughead sighs and looks at her. Her face breaks his heart- all he wants to do is protect her, make the fear fade away, but he can’t. ‘I won’t do anything you don’t want me to. Even if that thing is getting rid of Chic. For good.’ 

‘You were gonna give him the old Serpent tumble?’ 

‘Maybe.’ 

‘Yeah, I’m good. I’ll find a way to take care of him myself. Mom is pissed enough at us as it is, without you going after her favourite son.’ 

Jughead pretends to be offended. ‘I thought I was her favourite son!’ 

Betty giggles, ‘Well, you could be. It depends how cute your babies are.’ 

Jughead blanches. ‘Babies?’ 

Betty’s face drops. Oh, shit. She quickly tries to backtrack, tries to make it seem like more of a joke than it really is. ‘Twins run in the family, Jug. Coopers and Blossoms aren’t that different, you know.’ 

Jughead can hear it in her voice. She’s hiding something, and he realises what. He won’t push her for it, not right now. His heartbeat goes haywire and he’s sure she can hear it as her head presses to his chest and he gives her a squeeze. ‘Heh. That sounds fun.’ 

‘Oh, it will be.’ Betty snuggles into him, calmer for hearing his heartbeat. ‘It will be.’ 

‘In the meantime, though, I’d keep your bedroom door locked.’ 

‘I dunno, Jug. I feel like that would make him... Worse.’ 

‘I don’t care if he gets worse, as long as he can’t get to you. What’s he gonna do? Stare your door down?’ 

‘Would you put it past him?’ 

Jughead sighs, looking at the darkness outside. They should both be home, in bed, and not worrying about anything. They should be normal teenagers- but they aren’t. He gets up and locks the door, turning to face Betty with a question in his eyes. 

‘Stay.’ Betty says, arms outstretched for him as he comes back to her, giving her a deep kiss as they lie back down. 

With his arms around her, Betty manages to succumb to sleep much faster than she thought she could. Jughead, however, remains awake. His eyes focus through the dark at Betty’s door. He’s about to drift to sleep when his eyes catch the faintest sign of movement. 

Was that a dream? 

No. No, the doorknob is definitely moving. Twisting ever so slightly. A quiet squeaking, a click- and the door comes open. Jughead’s eyes are open wide. Every ounce of his energy is taken up by not moving to strangle Chic as he steps into the room, eyes already trained on Betty’s bed. 

But Jughead isn’t there. 

He’s quickly slipped out of Betty’s sleeping grasp- she's impossible to wake up after she’s been crying, especially since her pregnancy. Jughead is waiting behind the door as Chic steps into the room, stares at Betty’s sleeping form for a while, and then goes over to her dresser. 

The outrage Jughead is feeling is tempered by his need to keep his promise to his girlfriend- well, to a certain extent. This is the mother of his child- his children. This microbe is putting her, and the children, in danger. Isn’t there an implicit promise that he should protect that? 

Nothing can really stop him from coming up behind Chic, covering his mouth to prevent him from screaming, and whispering in his ear, 

‘If I ever catch you in here again, you’ll find out what Serpents do to worms.’ 

Chic goes limp in his arms, but Jughead isn’t ready to let go yet. ‘Nod if you understand what I’m saying.’ 

Chic nods. Jughead can feel his heart beating abnormally fast. *Now* Jughead lets go. ‘Get out.’ His voice is low and dangerous. ‘Before I change my mind.’ 

The lithe blond leaves the room as soon as he’s let go. Jughead takes several bottles of Betty’s perfume and stacks them near the door- if Chic picks the lock once more, this time he’ll make a racket. Though, speaking as a semi-experienced gang member, Jughead doubts there’ll be another disturbance tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Protective Jughead is my aesthetic. There's a lot more of him coming up, so I hope you guys like him too!
> 
> Thanks for reading, your comments keep me going.


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh god, it's been so long since I've updated this! Anyway, with S3 starting now I decided I definitely need to start writing more fanfic. Here's the latest chapter. I'm planning on doing weekly updates now that school has started again.

Betty and Polly are out shopping. Partly to give Polly a break from the babies, mostly to give them both a break from Chic. Betty is surprised when Polly speaks up- 

‘Can I just say, between us, that Chic is creepy? I don't think he likes me, and I don't think he likes the twins. A couple of times I've just caught him, like, staring at us.’ 

Betty weighs up how much to tell her sister, quickly deciding: not much. 

‘Yeah, tell me about it. It's part of the reason why I submitted a sample of Chic's blood to the lab that the Blossoms set up.’ 

Polly's eyes widen as she grins. ‘CSI Nancy Drew! How did you get a sample of his blood?’ 

Betty thinks back to the tooth floss, and the photograph. And what Jughead had told her when she’d finally woken up that morning to see him with dark bags under his eyes. 

‘...Don't worry about it. But Polly, I think that Dad may be right that Chic's dangerous, possibly not even our brother.’ 

‘Well, what do we do if he's not?’ Polly's hand catches her sisters and squeezes, brow furrowing.

‘Well, it'll crush Mom, but we'll have to tell her. In a way, it may kind of be a relief.’ Betty lies. Her mother will be devastated, maybe not even accepting of the truth- but she has to try. She can't take much more of the disturbed sleep and feeling unsafe in her own home.

‘I don’t like the way he looks at me, Betty.’ Polly sighs. ‘I’m starting to think... Well, maybe the twins and I would be better off somewhere else.’ 

‘What? But Riverdale is your home! All their roots are here! All your family!’ And if you leave, there's one less person between me and Chic.

‘That’s the problem- well, one of the problems- everyone in Riverdale has a family name. A heritage. Sometimes, the names we go by don’t define us the way we want them to. I want my babies to grow up without that kind of pressure. Somewhere where there aren’t any Coopers or Blossoms, where nobody knows that their parents were family, and where there’s no dark secrets everyone’s trying to hide for the sake of maintaining a ‘happy little town’ aesthetic.’ 

Betty doesn’t know what to say to that. Instead, she throws her focus onto shopping- spending the Blossom inheritance on gifts for her niece and nephew. 

The girls come home soon afterwards, finding their mother in the living room. 

‘Hey, you're home.’ 

‘Yeah, Polly just spent her entire Blossom inheritance on silk headbands.’ 

Polly shushes her younger sister. 

‘Betty! Keep your voice down. However Mom got Juniper and Dagwood to sleep, I do *not* want them waking up.’ 

‘Oh, no, the twins, they're not home.’ 

The girls look around the decidedly baby-less room, then at each other. 

‘What do you mean?’ 

‘Where are they?’ 

A smile comes over Alice Cooper’s face- one that reaches her eyes and breaks Betty’s heart. 

‘They're with Chic. He wanted to take his niece and nephew for a walk along Sweetwater River.’ She frowns as she sees her daughters looking at her as though she’s just grown a second head. ‘Why? Is there something wrong?’ 

‘Mom, are you serious? How could you let a complete stranger take my babies?’ Polly's face is red and her fists look ready to fly as Alice stands up and folds her arms.

‘He's not a stranger- he's your brother! And he's doing something nice for you.’ 

‘Yeah, the hell he is!’ 

Chic comes through the door right now, with Juniper and Dagwood in the stroller, apparently unharmed. Betty lets out a breath she hadn’t realised she’d been holding. Polly rushes forward, shooting Chic a look harsh enough to kill. Her eyes are wild as she checks over Juniper and Dagwood.

‘What did you do to my babies?’ 

‘Nothing, Polly. They're fine.’ Chic smiles slightly and it sends a chill through Betty.

Polly shoots him another look before taking the stroller to her room, being sure to glare at her mother as well on the way out.

‘What’s her problem?’ Alice asks, rolling her eyes as Chic sits beside her. Betty avoids eye contact and shrugs. 

‘I don’t think Polly likes me very much, Mom.’ Chic mumbles, sounding like he’s about to cry. Betty’s never heard so much emotion in his voice. ‘I don’t know what I’m doing wrong!’ 

‘Oh shush, Chic. It’s probably just hormones. Polly always was the rebel of the family.’ 

Betty heads upstairs, unable to stomach more of Chic’s sniffling and sobs. 

How safe am I, staying at home? A locked door makes zero difference to Chic. Jughead can’t stay awake for me every night, and I’m ready to pass out all the time as it is. Fuck. What am I going to do? 

Safely in her room, Betty looks down at what she’s now sure is the beginning of her bump. 

What do you think, kiddos? Should we move away with Aunt Polly? 

The bump, as usual, gives no answers. But it’s nice to have it there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn, Chic. 
> 
> Betty's inner monologue with Bump is the purest thing and I love it. Imagine the conversations she'd be having with it on a daily basis in her own mind. I. Love. It.
> 
> As usual, your comments give me life. Especially with that S3 episode 1 cliffhanger. Jesus Christ.


	28. Chapter 28

Jughead spends more nights with Betty than he does in his own bed. Not that he’s complaining- he just wishes it were for a different reason. He sleeps lightly with his pregnant girlfriend in his arms- the slightest creak of a loose floorboard is enough to jolt him awake, though Chic doesn’t seem to have trespassed since Jughead all-but held a knife to his throat. 

Good. 

The part of Jughead that wants to believe in the law also wants him to feel guilty for feeling so good about threatening Chic. 

The other half of Jughead, however, is delighted at his handiwork. 

‘I had the NIPT today,’ Betty mumbles, half-asleep. ‘We should know the... gender within the week. And if there’s any... complications.’ 

Jughead doesn’t want to think about that. He feels like the worst father in the world for thinking it, but it’s true- he's a first-time father, freshly 18. A neurotypical child would be hard enough to handle- what about a child with down syndrome, or more than one child, or something else? Something he can’t even name? 

And what would Betty want, if that Pandora’s Box were to open? Would she keep it? Not? Adoption? His brain becomes more and more scattered, even as she places a kiss to his temple. 

‘You know, it’s going to be fine. It’s just a precaution.’ 

‘Yeah, like.... God, I can’t even think of a sarcastic example of a precaution. Give me a minute...’ Jughead furrows his brow, trying to make her laugh and settling for a small chuckle. ‘Like how fire extinguishers are just a precaution. Until there’s a fire, then what the hell do you do? You’ve drilled for it a hundred times, but drills are never like the real thing. The real thing is literal flames spitting at you, ready to melt your skin and destroy your home.’ 

‘That’s only if it’s a boy.’ Betty tries to calm her boyfriend with a smile. ‘Look, there’s no use worrying about it at this point.’ She sighs and takes Jughead’s hands, placing them over her belly. ‘Can you feel anything?’ 

‘No?’ Jughead’s heart flutters. ‘Is- is it kicking?’ 

‘I can’t tell. It’s doing something different to what It's been doing up until now- maybe it’s just moving about.’ She really needs to tell him the truth. But the look on his face, even as he doesn’t feel anything, is enough to stop her for a moment. 

‘Oh my god. Betty, that’s amazing.’ He kisses her. ‘You’re amazing.’ 

‘I hope the baby looks like you, ‘ Betty sighs. ’I bet it’s already got a beanie in there, refusing to take it off from birth.’ 

Jughead chuckles, ‘Oh, the Jones beanie is so much more than a fashion choice. We’re actually born with it. Covers up the male-pattern baldness.’ 

‘Well, I look forward to seeing our bald fashionista baby.’ 

‘I hope it looks more like a Cooper, myself.’ 

‘Oh really?’ 

‘Yeah. Blondes have all the fun.’ 

She gives his shoulder a playful slap as they lie in bed for a moment, spooning with their eyes closed. 

‘What do you think it’s gonna be?’ Jughead says after a while. 

Triplets. Betty wants to say it, wants to say it so bad that she can hear words bubbling over her lips, but they aren’t what she wants to say. 

‘Well, boys run in your family and girls run in mine, so...’ Betty shrugs. ‘50/50, I guess?’ 

‘Nuh-uh-uh, Cooper. You gotta place your bet right now, before the test results come back.’ 

‘Oh, come on!’ 

‘I personally think it’s gonna be a boy. A handsome bastard, like his dad.’ 

‘I’m gonna have to disagree with you there, Jug. I think it’s gonna be a girl. A very emotional, very beautiful girl who looks exactly like you.’ But why not both? She smiles, not entirely from discomfort. 

‘There are two parts to that idea that don’t belong together.’ Jughead chuckles, kissing the back of her neck. ‘If we have a girl, she better have your face.’ 

‘Your smile.’ 

‘Your eyes.’ 

‘Your hair.’ 

‘Your...’ Jughead struggles to find a feature. ‘Your determination.’ 

She snorts. ‘Now we just sound like the fairies from the beginning of Sleeping Beauty.’ 

‘If I win the bet, you have to let me be the cool parent until the kid turns 12.’ 

‘If I win the bet, you have to teach it Spanish.’ 

‘You’re on, Cooper.’ 

The couple doze off into amiable silence once again. Jughead’s arm is snaked around Betty’s waist, hand in hers. Her curves seem to fit perfectly against his body, as if they’re puzzle pieces, made to fit together. 

‘We should really tell my dad at some point.’ Jughead says out loud. 

‘We should.’ 

‘Tomorrow.’ 

‘What?’ Betty is wide awake, stiffening under his fingers. Jughead’s lips skim across her shoulder. 

‘Come on, Betty. Pretty much your entire family knows- there’s no way my dad is going to react badly to it. And it’s better for us to tell him than for him to figure it out by seeing you in a couple of months. Or worse, from the grapevine.’ 

‘Okay, Jug. We’re telling your father tomorrow.’ 

And with that, the two doze off once again into a dark, comforting sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New Chapter, as promised. 
> 
> I feel like we all need a bit more of futureparent!Bughead in our lives. I hope they make you SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE with delight, because you deserve it ;)


	29. Chapter 29

‘Jug?’ 

Betty wakes him from deep sleep and he jumps. ‘Betty? What’s wrong? Are you-’ 

‘Sorry. It’s okay. I didn’t mean to scare you.’ 

Jughead squints at the clock. It’s 4 AM. ‘Why are you awake?’ 

‘I just woke up, about half an hour ago. I can’t sleep. You have to know.’ 

‘What’s wrong?’ 

‘Nothing’s wrong. I guess it’s even good news, kinda?’ 

‘It’s twins, right?’ Betty’s startled as Jughead yawns and pulls her to his chest. ‘I figured that out a while back. I was wondering when you were gonna tell me.’ 

‘Um, Jughead...’ 

‘I mean, it’s not ideal, but none of this is. I don’t mind if it’s one kid or one hundred, I’m in this with you and I really wish you’d-’ 

‘It’s not twins.’ 

‘Wait, what?’ 

Now Jughead is really awake. 

‘It’s not twins... They found a third heartbeat while I was unconscious.’ He can’t breathe. ‘We’re having triplets, Jug.’ 

The statement echoes around his head for an uncomfortably long time. We’re having triplets. We’re having triplets. Betty has three babies inside her. 

They’re going to be first-time and third-time parents, all at once. 

Betty can hear his heart. Hell, she can feel it about to burst out of his chest as he tries to breathe. She’s never had to watch someone else having a panic attack- and certainly not Jughead. She has to fight her own anxiety as he gasps out, ‘I’ll be one second!’ and darts into the bathroom. 

He can’t breathe. He can’t breathe. Oh, shit. Three of them. Jughead wants to scream. He pours cold water over his face and tries to gather thoughts. He’s not really the anxious type, but right now he can’t even think. 

He has no idea how to be a father. His own father couldn’t handle a family. 

I’ll be better than that. For Betty. For the kids. There’s going to be three kids. At once. At the same time. Three. Okay. 

He’s 18. His job at Pops pays minimum wage. 

I can ask him for a raise. Explain the situation, when the time is right. The diner makes a killing- it's gonna be just fine. 

Before he knows it he’s inside Betty’s shower and the water is running on hot- if her family hears it then it’ll probably be an awkward breakfast for her tomorrow, but that’s okay. Everything about this situation is awkward. 

Betty comes into the bathroom when she hears the shower go on, and they share a look as Jughead’s breathing finally returns to normal. 

Wordlessly, Betty takes off her shirt, along with the rest of her clothes. She’s beautiful and he can’t help but reach out and pull her closer. ‘I’m sorry.’ 

‘Don’t be, Jug. It’s... It’s a lot.’ 

‘I don’t want you to think that I don’t want this, or that I’m just gonna leave you to do your own thing without any help from me.’ Jughead sighs. ‘I want to be a better man than my father. I want us to be a better family than either of us have ever had.’ 

‘I really want that, too.’ Betty’s crying again now, and he holds her as they sink to the floor, the steam making it hard to breathe even as the heat cleanses them. 

‘It’s actually amazing,’ Jughead smiles as Betty settles in between his legs, her back to him. ’There’s three little people growing in there. They’re gonna come out, and have their own little lives, and change the whole world.’ 

Betty giggles. ‘Or maybe just the town.’ 

‘Either way, it’s fucking cool.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Juggie had to find out sometime... What did you guys think of his reaction?
> 
> Side note: Anyone seen Bohemian Rhapsody? Because I just did and now all I can write to is Queen songs. It's amazing. I never knew Freddie Mercury was the original Cat Daddy (tm). 
> 
> As always, an update should be coming next week-ish. Next chapter, we find out how FP is going to react to... some very important news. Also, Chic makes things worse for Betty. What a dick.


	30. Chapter 30

Jughead walks Betty home after school and Alice tells Betty Polly has moved out. She doesn’t say it, but It's because of Chic. It has to be. 

‘We... Also have something to tell you, mom.’ 

‘You’re gonna want to sit down, Mrs Cooper.’ 

Alice shoots Jughead a warning glare, but sits across the table from Betty and Jughead. ‘What’s up?’ 

‘Well, you know how I’m... Yeah?’ 

‘Yes, I’m quite aware you’re pregnant, Betty. Believe it or not, it’s kind of been playing on my mind.’ 

‘Right... Well, mom, I’m...’ Betty’s lip wobbles, and her eyes fill with tears. Jughead puts an arm around her as Alice’s eyes widen. 

‘Betty, you’re not- you haven’t- is the baby-’ 

‘The babies are fine, Mrs Cooper.’ Jughead winces the moment after he interjects, and wants to start crying himself as Alice Cooper’s eyes of steel hone in on him. 

‘What do you mean, ‘babies’?’ 

‘Exactly that. Betty and I... We’re having triplets.’ 

Alice’s face pales and she looks like she’s about to fall out of her chair for a moment with a faint gasp of, ‘No, no that can’t...’ 

‘It is, mom.’ Betty takes Jughead’s hand. ‘We had it confirmed this morning.’ 

Alice looks from Betty to Jughead and back. ‘Does this mean... Betty? Does this change anything?’ 

‘We’re still keeping them. It’s just going to be a lot harder.’ 

Alice gets up and starts cleaning the dishes, hands shaking. ‘I support you, Betty. If you think this is the right thing for you to do... I can’t stop you.’ 

Betty rushes forward with tears pulsing down her cheeks, hugging her teary-eyed mother. Jughead’s mouth is dry and he feels horrifically out of place. Will he even tell his own mother? Probably not. Maybe in a Christmas-card. But then, it isn’t exactly Christmas-card news, is it? 

They leave Alice alone in the house, and start walking towards the South Side, hand-in-hand. 

‘Well, that could’ve gone worse.’ Jughead smiles weakly. ‘You okay?’ 

Betty’s eyes are still watering. ‘Y-yeah... I think I’m fine. Just need a little while. Are you okay?’ 

‘Oh, I’ll be fine after this is over. I might need a new place to live, but that’s nothing new.’ Jughead laughs as Betty punches him for the joke that tugs her heartstrings. 

 

The trailer is empty when Betty and Jughead enter. FP is clearly still out, leaving an awkward gap of time where the young couple can do nothing but silently obsess over what they have to say, and what his reaction is going to be. 

Betty’s brow furrows as she remembers FP’s past as an alcoholic- his wife left him, his daughter chose to go with her, and yet Jughead stayed- why? That’s a big question... For another day. Right now, she can’t stop one question from fleeing her lips: 

‘Did your dad ever hit you?’ 

Jughead almost drops the cups of tea he had been taking over to the coffee table. Quickly recovering, he smiles weakly. ‘Once or twice. When he really lost it. Why do you ask?’ 

‘Why did he hit you?’ 

‘I was being a smartass. Or he was drunk. Or both. Why?’ 

Betty’s hand subconsciously rubs her growing belly. ‘I guess I’m just worried.’ 

‘What, that our kids will drive him into a homicidal rage and drinking binge?’ Jughead sighs, sitting next to her. ‘Honestly, it’s crossed my mind. But he won’t hit you. He never once hit my mom. Not even when she told him she was leaving. He hit me instead that night, but I can understand that.’ 

At Betty’s horrified look, he shrugs. ‘It was a dark time for everyone. I wouldn’t stop asking him where my mom was, or where Jellybean... well, you get the idea.’ 

‘Oh, Jug... I’m so sorry you had to go through that alone.’ 

‘It’s fine. Bridge. Water. Done. It doesn’t matter now- he’s a new person. He’s a good father. He hasn’t hit me since the night he decided he needed to get sober, and I’ve done way worse things since then.’ 

‘Like what?’ 

‘Well, I moved back into his trailer without permission. That would’ve been pretty bad, in the old days. When he came home and saw me, now, though, he looked... Relieved.’ 

Betty can’t help but throw her arms around her boyfriend, listening to his stories of how his father had treated him in the bad days, how he’d moved out, and how he’d re-adjusted to living at home. She wants to cry, but she has to hold in the tears. FP will be home any minute, and she has to at least pretend to be emotionally stable. 

‘It was hard to believe he could be a good dad ever again, you know?’ Jughead stares at the old-fashioned TV. ‘I had to pretend to believe it, at first. He needed someone to hold his hand, teach him how to walk again. But before I knew it he was like he still is- a halfway-decent dad and a damn good Serpent king.’ 

‘I don’t know how you ever forgave him in the first place,’ Sniffs Betty, disgusted, ‘I don’t know how I’m going to hold off from slapping him across the face when he comes through that door now.’ 

‘He’s the grandfather of our kids, Betty. For better or for worse.’ Jughead sighs and looks at her, his expression unreadable. ‘And like I said, he’s a whole new person. A good one.’ 

‘Hrrumph.’ Betty growls, sipping her tea until it’s empty, then almost immediately regretting it- her bladder during pregnancy is easily the worst part. 

When she comes back from relieving herself, FP is sat next to his son, laughing and smiling too much to know that he’s going to be a grandfather soon. Jughead locks eyes with Betty and gets up to stand beside her. 

‘Dad, we have something important to tell you.’ 

‘You aren’t getting married, are ya?’ Smirks FP. 

Close, thinks Jughead, shrugging as he tries to meet his father’s teasing eyes. He’s proud when he doesn’t stutter. 

‘No... No, Betty’s pregnant.’ 

‘With triplets.’ Betty adds, taking her boyfriend’s hand as he starts shaking. 

‘What?’ FP looks from Betty to Jughead. ’Son?’ 

‘It’s true, dad. And before you say anything, we’re keeping them.’ 

FP is white as a ghost and his eyes gaze into nowhere for a moment, as though remembering something long ago. He snaps himself out of it and addresses Jughead. 

‘How did this happen?’ 

Jughead cocks his head to one side and gives his father an are-you-serious look, at which FP throws up his hands. 

‘Right. Of course. But...’ FP seems to be searching his mind for more questions, but he’s unable to find any more. The Serpent king, it seems, is utterly speechless. 

‘We’re finding out the gender later this week,’ Betty offers, tentatively chuckling. ‘If you want to place any bets.’ 

FP doesn’t seem to be comprehending anything that’s being said, instead opting to stare at the television screen, which is still black. At his son’s voice, he turns back to Jughead. 

‘Dad?’ 

‘You’re sure you want this? Both of you?’ 

‘It’s not what we’d have planned, but when can you plan for life?’ Betty’s glad Jughead decides to take over talking. She’s not sure she can ever look at the grandfather of her children the same way. 

‘You’re both so young... You’re supposed to go to college in a couple years.’ 

‘We can go to college anytime. These kids are happening right now, and we need to be there for them. Ready for them.’ 

FP’s mind launches back to a different conversation- one he had many years ago with an entirely different Cooper. He remembers how it ended. 

‘You have to do what you have to do, son.’ He looks at Betty and says, ‘It’s a good thing you love each other.’ 

Betty comes home after a few more hours of talking about logistics- what are they going to do, are they doing it for the right reasons, do they need to get their heads checked, etc... 

FP seemed calm and collected by the time she left, even smiling slightly and asking to feel her bump, though of course nothing could be felt just yet. 

Yet, when she comes home, she finds her mother alone once again on the couch, with a glass of wine. The bottle is empty on the floor at her feet. 

‘Mom? You okay?’ 

‘Polly’s gone.’ 

Betty’s blood runs cold. ‘What?’ 

‘She said... She needs a fresh start, that’s all. We’ll see her at Christmas. We’ll go to her, or she’ll come to us.’ 

‘Why? Where is she?’ 

Alice avoids the first question. ‘San Francisco. It’s a very safe area. The babies will like it there.’ 

Chic. Chic’s done this. Betty isn’t sure how, and she’s even more certain she can’t prove anything- but she knows. Looking at her mother, she’s certain Alice knows too. 

Thinking about the monster upstairs in Polly’s old room, she imagines him sat at her sister’s old desk, cutting the next portion of the photo into pieces, scratching at it with needles... Betty feels sick just thinking about it. 

Jughead is definitely sleeping over again tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, that's both of the important grandparents out of the way!
> 
> And yes, today I'm posting an extra chapter for the week. Mainly because yesterday I spent 30/45 minutes of the train ride into the city with my head in a toilet with anxiety. Pitching my ideas to real-life agents is hella scary, but it actually went really well, so I'm celebrating. I hope you guys enjoy the extra chapter!
> 
> As always, let me know what you think and thank you so so SOOOOOOOO much for reading!


	31. Chapter 31

‘Southside High is gonna be turned into a private, for-profit prison. Built on the bones of a high school. He‘s bought most of Southside already, with Andrews construction building for him- my guess is housing for the people who will work at the prison- or some palaces where his fellow bosses and dons can easily conduct their business.’ 

Jughead leans over the table, to where Betty is just finishing reading his article. She’s demolishing the Pops he brought her for a second-breakfast. She’s ravenous all day, every day, for now. 

‘He’s turning Riverdale into a prison. From the inside out.’ 

Betty looks up at him, and he swears she’s the only person in his life who’s never looked at him as though he’s insane. He loves her for it. 

‘Hiram Lodge is... Diabolically insane.’ Betty says slowly, inhaling the last of her breakfast-burger. 

‘Agreed. We need to show Riverdale just how insane he is.’ 

‘This is the best thing you've ever written, Jug. Principal Weatherbee needs to publish this, right the hell now.’ 

The two all-but dash out of the Blue & Gold office, article in hand, all the way to the Principal’s office. At least, they go as fast as they can. Betty is beginning to move more slowly- the end of the third month has her showing a tiny bump and constant back-ache. Yet, his article seems to have given the blonde the ability to power through the crowd of people- straight to Weatherbee’s office to reveal the truth. 

If only he saw the article through the same lens. 

‘This is quite a story, Mr. Jones.’ 

‘Thank you, Principal Weatherbee.’ 

‘Unfortunately, it's not one that the Blue and Gold can print.’ 

Betty speaks up for him, frowning, ‘Why the hell not?’ 

Her temper since the pregnancy is easily triggered. Jughead loves seeing the raw passion in her eyes as she stares at Principal Weatherbee as though imagining the best way to turn him into a shish-kebab. 

‘A malicious take-down of one of our students' parents is not the appropriate subject matter for a school paper... Now, if you'll both excuse me.’ 

Neither Betty nor Jughead excuses Weatherbee, but that doesn’t stop him from leaving the room anyway. They stare at each other, dumbfounded. 

‘Hiram Lodge never tried to buy the Blue & Gold...’ Betty starts, 

‘Because he never needed to. It was never a free press to begin with.’ Jughead finishes bitterly, kicking the door to the office closed as they trudge out, defeated. 

‘Hey. It’ll be alright, Jug. You know it will be. We’ll just have to find another way to get this out. Voltaire wrote pamphlets, the Dadaists made collages. Bigger, more complicated ideas have gotten out with way fewer resources than we have.’ 

He’s about to say that he’s glad one of them is an optimist, when suddenly a hand grabs his and pulls him into darkness. And Lemon Pledge. 

‘Betty... Why are we in a janitor’s closet?’ 

He hears a click. 

‘...And why does it lock from the inside?’ 

All of a sudden, her lips are on his neck and her hands are inside his pants, rubbing his cock. ‘Do you care?’ She breathes against him. He shakes his head. 

‘Fuck no. Not as long as you’re doing tha-aaaaaaaat!’ 

In the amount of time he’s taken to reply, she’s sunk to her knees and taken him into her mouth. 

Her tongue traces figure-8's on the underside of his cock, while both of her hands come up to press his bucking hips against the door. No janitor is going to be using this cupboard for a while. 

In the darkness, all Betty and Jughead can hear is the sound of each other’s breathing. Jughead’s eyes roll back into his head as Betty sucks particularly hard around his *other* head, making him groan out far louder than he probably should. 

Betty doubles her efforts, taking him even deeper than before, and even faster. His hands find her hair in the darkness, running his fingers through it and probably inadvertently pulling it a lot harder than he means to, but Betty just moans around his cock, sending pleasant vibrations to all the places he wants them. He never knew she liked hair-pulling. Good to know- ‘Ooooh!’ 

He hits the back of her throat just as the bell rings, unleashing a torrent of cum down her throat, embarrassingly fast. In his defence, Betty is amazing at giving head. She knows all of his most weak and most sensitive spots, everything he likes, and everything he doesn’t. It’s impossible to imagine another girl being able to satisfy him so easily, stand back up and kiss him so deeply he can taste himself in her mouth, and fasten his jeans up for him. 

Only Betty Cooper can make him feel joy in his brain turning to complete Jelly. 

He’s about to reach for her in the darkness to return the favour, when she grins and whispers close to his ear, ‘I won the bet.’ 

Jughead isn’t sure whether to laugh, scream, or cry. 

They’re having a daughter. 

‘Well, technically speaking, we both did.’ 

Jughead’s mind goes blank once again. He struggles to form words. 

‘We- wait- what- when?’ 

‘The test results came back this morning- inconclusive. The only reason the babies wouldn’t be coming back as either a boy or a girl is if they’re both.’ 

Jughead finds Betty’s head in the darkness and takes it in his hands, pressing a deep kiss to her lips as the hallway outside goes quiet again. 

They sneak out of the closet, hand-in-hand and grinning from ear-to-ear. Future parents.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So- Bughead babies! Woop woop! Gotta love it when I post a new chapter literally 30 seconds before my self-imposed deadline... Hope you guys are still enjoying this though!
> 
> Please let me know what you think!


	32. Chapter 32

One sheet of paper is all it takes to confirm Betty’s worst fears- that the man in the next room is a dangerous stranger. Her temper flares once again- who is Chic, if he isn’t a Cooper? He’s a danger. That’s what he is. A manipulative, disgusting, evil- she stops herself as bile rises up in her throat. This ends today. Betty rushes into his room and throws the paper on the desk where Chic is sat. For once, he actually looks surprised. 

‘What- what is this?’ 

‘When you wouldn't submit to the DNA test, I found some of your dental floss and sent it to the lab. Those are the results. You're not who you say you are, Chic. So, who are you?’ 

Chic frowns at the paper, trying to find a loophole- something he can use. Betty doesn’t wait. 

‘This is why you didn't want to take the DNA test, isn't it? Because you knew what the results were gonna say- that you had no Blossom blood!’ 

‘Of course I don't. I'm not a Blossom. I don't even know them.’ Chic smirks slightly, as though this is all some big, friendly joke to him. 

‘Blossom blood is Cooper blood, Chic.’ She secretly delights in the way that confident, self-assured look drops from his face. ‘My dad was a Blossom, which means you would have tested positively for Blossom DNA, but you didn't, because you're an impostor!’ 

‘Mom!’ Betty calls a family meeting downstairs. A few weeks ago, a family meeting would have meant Polly and her father’s presence too, and the fact that they’re absent sends chills up Betty’s spine as her mother tries to calm her. 

‘Betty, listen. The truth is Chic's DNA doesn't match because... because Hal isn't his father.’ Betty’s jaw drops as Alice turns to Chic with a hard look on her face. ‘But I am your mother, you understand me?’ 

‘Hang on, what? What? Then who is Chic's father?’ 

‘Chic's my son!’ Alice growls, turning back to her daughter. ‘And whoever the father is, he’s not gonna be a part of our lives. So there's no reason to open old wounds that have healed many times over!’ Alice turns once more to Chic, enveloping him in a warm hug. ‘Come here.’ 

While her mother has silent tears streaking down her cheeks, Chic looks over her shoulder to Betty. He’s smiling once more, but there’s something different- something cold and unhinged in his eyes. Betty feels a twist in her stomach. 

She heads back upstairs after a mumbled apology, locking her bedroom door- though she knows that means absolutely nothing in this house anymore. Chic may be half-Alice-Cooper, but there’s another half of him, far darker than anything inside her. Betty’s terrified, with silent tears carving their way down her face. She tries to calm down as she places her desk chair in front of the door handle. 

Her hands pick up her phone and dial Jughead’s number before she even knows what she’s doing. 

‘Hey Betty, you alright?’ 

He sounds tired. ‘Yeah, just the usual drama with Chic. I sent off his DNA to be tested and it came back negative.’ 

‘Whoa. So he’s not your brother? This whole time- he’s been lying?’ 

‘Not quite. My mom’s insisting he’s definitely hers.’ Betty stares at her pink bedroom ceiling and sighs. ‘I don’t know anymore, Jug. I’m so tired and I can’t sleep. I feel sick all the time, I’m aching everywhere, and I honestly don’t know what I’m going to do. You should have seen the look he gave me, Jug. When mom wasn’t looking-’ 

‘Hey, hey. It’s all going to be fine.' Jughead's voice is soothing. 'I’m at pops now- he's agreed to give me a job... I’m also getting a milkshake and a burger. You want to join me, or shall I come to you?’ 

Within half an hour, Betty is in their booth at Pops, sat next to Jughead while he laughs and jokes and tells her about his novel- anything to take her mind off of the monsters lurking in their world. 

His arms are around her as he kisses her cheek and tells her everything will be alright. Jughead smells of leather and aftershave and everything that makes Betty feel safe as she sips on his milkshake, appetite slowly returning as he coaxes her to try dipping his French fries into the chocolate. 

There are many monsters in Riverdale, but for now the future parents are safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Precious Bughead Babies (literally)...!
> 
> Sorry this update is super late, ya girl here is swamped in assignments and being a good person n shit. Bughead is a great escape though ;)
> 
> As always, I hope you liked this. Next week we find out what happens when a certain raven-haired vixen finds out about Betty's little bump.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. Another huge span of no updates- sorry guys! I've had so much going on, getting my career off the ground and interning and still being a student- luckily the last two episodes we got really inspired me to get back in the fanfic fun zone!
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter. More will be coming soon, I promise this time. For realsies.

‘I just loved your spin piece in the paper, Olivia Pope.’ Jughead half-snarls at Veronica, as the group sits down for lunch at school. 

Archie shoots him a look. ‘Can we not, Jughead?’ 

Jughead ignores Archie. 

‘Did you know about Southside High closing? Or the prison?’ 

‘Of course not.’ Betty stands up for her friend, hoping she’s right. ‘That was all her parents' doing... Right, V?’ 

The silence from Veronica is anything but innocent. 

‘She didn't know, Jughead, okay? So back off.’ Archie’s arm goes around Veronica reflexively. 

‘Fine.’ Jughead sighs. ‘I have to conserve my energy anyhow. I'm going on a hunger strike to protest Southside High closing, and to get it reopened.’ 

The group share a collective look of disbelief and hidden chuckles. Jughead looks offended. 

‘What?’ 

Archie can barely contain his laughter. ‘I'm sorry, man. It's just- You're, like, always eating. I mean, good luck with that, but-’ 

Betty sees the fire behind her boyfriend’s eyes- he's serious about this. 

‘Hey, it's Jughead's prerogative to protest peacefully, so we're gonna support that, aren't we?’ 

Before anyone can answer, Ethel Muggs appears from the crowd, holding a milkshake. Instantly, Betty’s stomach starts churning. The look on Ethel’s face is stormy- lightning about to strike. 

‘Veronica?’ 

‘Oh, hey, Ethel.’ 

Veronica’s confusion is amplified by Ethel’s robotic delivery as animosity crackles between the two women: 

‘For your crimes against the town of Riverdale, for everything that you and your family have done, and continue to do, we find you guilty. Your sentence is this.’ 

Suddenly, Veronica is splattered with pink goo. Ethel walks away, throwing the paper cup into the bin without looking back. Veronica opens her eyes, shocked. She barely has time to process this before Betty takes off, running for the bathroom for the fifth time that day. 

She hears Veronica enter moments later, finding Betty hunched over a toilet, being sick. Veronica doesn’t say anything, not until her face is washed and she gets to work on her hair. 

Betty isn’t quite sure if she’s done being sick yet, so she slumps next to the toilet and watches her friend gradually become less of a pink ooze-monster. Veronica catches her eye in the mirror. ‘You’re pregnant.’ 

It’s not a question. Veronica *knows*. Betty can tell- there's something in her eyes, like disappointment, or even sadness. 

‘What- what are you talking about?’ 

‘Come on, Betty. There’s only so long you can have a stomach bug without seeing a doctor. The fact that you haven’t seen a doctor means you’re not worried about it, which means you know why you’re sick and tired all the time. I might be a busy girl, but even I noticed that.’ 

The Latina crosses her arms, leaning against the sink and staring at her friend. Betty glares at the floor, fighting another wave of nausea. She swallows before murmuring, 

‘Has anyone else said anything? Archie? Kevin? Cheryl?’ 

‘Do they know?’ 

Betty looks at the floor. ‘Archie does. But please don’t be mad at him- we're... We’re trying to keep it a secret for now.’ 

‘Do you not know what you’re going to do?’ Veronica turns to rub the milkshake out of her shirt. ‘My aunts have been glorified brood mares since I was ten years old- I know the signs. You must be what, two, three months along?’ 

‘Somewhere around there. We know we’re keeping it, but-’ 

‘Logistics aren’t exactly Jughead’s strong suit.’ Veronica sighs, holding her head under the hand-dryer and hoping that will get rid of the drowned-rat look. ‘I’m here for you, B. I think you’re making a mistake, but I’m here for you.’ 

‘Excuse me?’ 

‘How do I look, Betty?’ 

‘You look like you need to brush your hair...’ The blonde swallows her anger for a moment. ‘Any idea why Ethel went through all the trouble of bringing that milkshake here from Pop's? I mean, how mad is she?’ 

Betty doesn’t let herself hold her other question back. 

‘And what makes you think I’m making a mistake?’ 

‘My dad is responsible for the Muggs family losing basically everything. And he still hasn't made amends, so, Ethel has a right to be upset. As my mom keeps saying, this is not the time for drama and flying off the handle. I just need to... Take a few deep breaths, keep smiling, turn the other cheek.... And give Ethel a wide berth.’ 

‘Sounds like a good plan.’ Betty grits her teeth. ‘Now, why do you think I’m making a mistake, exactly?’ 

Veronica turns to face her friend. Taking Betty’s hands, she pulls the blonde to her feet and stands her in front of the mirror. 

‘Look at yourself. You’re smart, you’re pretty, but you’re dating Jughead. He’s not exactly a catch. You’re both 18 and one of you lives in a trailer. Look at what your mom did to your sister when she made the same mistake- a mistake that we really shouldn’t be making at our age. We’re young- we should take the time to be young, before we descend into depravities like dirty diapers and sleepless nights.’ 

Betty isn’t sure what to say to that. A part of her agrees, while another part- probably the hormonal, mama-bear part, wants to rip Veronica’s head off. 

She looks at the girl before her- golden ponytail disheveled, spots of puke on her sweater, eyes slightly red and overshadowed by purple bags. Betty’s seen better days. Her eyes are attracted to her belly, which gives the impression that she’s had six meals a day for the past month- but remembering how Jughead looks at her gives Betty the strength to smile. 

‘This is my choice, Ronnie. Just because it isn’t what anyone our age is planning for doesn’t make it a mistake.’ 

They smile weakly at each other as Veronica takes a tissue and wipes a spare bit of vomit off of Betty’s jumper. ‘I know I shouldn’t judge you, Betty. Look at us- we're the hottest messes in this school. We have to stick together.’ 

The girls nod and join hands, ready to go back out and face whatever horrors await them in the cafeteria. 

 

‘What happened today? With you and Veronica?’ Jughead asks later, when the two are bundled together in his trailer. 

‘Well, she knows I’m pregnant. And she told me I’m making a huge mistake.’ Betty is already teary-eyed from the words that have been silently playing on her mind all day. ‘She doesn’t know the specifics just yet.’ 

Jughead has to steel himself as he feels his shirt growing wet and realises his girlfriend is crying. Mood swings. His hands are instantly rubbing slow, steady circles into her aching back as she sobs and he tries to collect his thoughts. 

‘Oh, Betty.’ He kisses the top of her head as she looks up at him, whatever movie they’d been watching before still running in the background. ‘Veronica has no idea what she’s talking about. If we were planning outfits for London fashion week, or some underhanded dirty political takeover, then she’d be the right girl to go to. But her telling you you’re making a mistake? That’s just her own fear talking- okay?’ 

Betty sniffles and his arms squeeze her slightly, aware she can hear the fast beating of his heart as he contemplates the future. 

‘We’re young, and have no idea what we’re doing. But we’re together, aren’t we? That’s more than a lot of kids get. Our parents are here to help- I know we joke a lot about your mom, but there’s nothing Alice Cooper cares about more than family.’ 

‘Betty?’ 

Laughing lightly, Jughead realises that Betty is now fast asleep on his chest. He kisses the top of her head, gently pulling the blanket up to cover her shoulders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Extra fluff at the end, just for fun \\(^_^)/
> 
> Did anyone else see that cook-off between Gordon Ramsay and Cheryl Blossom? Because it's the cutest thing on youtube and more people need to see it.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed. If there's anything you want me to add to future chapters (dates, fluff, changes etc) please let me know in the comments below!   
> Thanks so much for reading.


	34. Chapter 34

The next day, Veronica throws them a new curveball over lunch. 

‘Friends, I have an exciting announcement to make. I'm running for Student Council President against Reggie "The Misogynist" Mantle.’ 

Jughead winces at the thought. ‘You've got to be kidding me.’ 

Ignoring him, Veronica addresses Betty and Archie instead. 

‘If yesterday's dramatic events taught me anything, it's that Veronica Lodge is not a victim. Nor will she ever allow herself to be one.’ 

‘Your parents are taking over Riverdale and now you want to take over our school? So what is this? Part of Mommy and Daddy's evil bidding?’ Jughead growls, Archie turns on him. 

‘Jug, I get that you're in a bad mood because you haven't eaten in-’ 

‘Actually,’ Veronica interjects, ‘Jughead, my parents think I should avoid the spotlight.’ 

‘Really?’ Jughead’s eyes are narrowed, head cocked to one side. 

‘-But I was born for elected office.’ 

Betty and Archie instantly leap to support their friend. 

‘V, if you want to be President, you've got our vote.’ 

‘Yeah, Team Ronnie all the way.’ 

The Latina smiles, focusing again on Betty. 

‘B? As the Thelma to my Louise, I can't imagine doing this with anyone else. Will you be my running mate?’ 

‘Of course, V.’ Betty squeezes Jughead’s hand. She can tell he’s reading far too much into Veronica’s actions. ‘I'd be honoured.’ 

The feeling of inferiority in Betty’s stomach hasn’t gone away yet, but ranting to Jughead the evening before seems to have cleared her mind. She takes a deep breath and launches into a campaign strategy for her best friend. Yes. Best friend- that's what she still calls Veronica... right? 

.. .. .. .. 

In Jughead’s small room in the trailer, he has his ear pressed up against her belly. 

‘-and they’ll have fingernails by now, and can probably recognise the sound of your voice, too. My mom used to read to Jellybean. Shakespeare. I don’t know if it changed anything, but it can’t hurt- can it? I *have* to read to them sometime.’ 

He’s babbling away like an excited toddler, and Betty is chuckling with her hands weaving a course through his soft hair. 

‘You can read to them whenever you want. Just no true-crime.’ She giggles as he pouts up at her. ‘Not until they’re old enough to not turn into a psycho, Juggie.’ 

‘Come on, Betty. These are *my* kids too. Of course they’re gonna be psycho.’ 

‘Not until they’re at least 12.’ 

‘10.’ 

‘Compromise: 11.’ 

‘11 is a good age to read In Cold Blood.’ 

Jughead lifts her shirt to kiss her belly. Yes, the bump is becoming obvious. There’s only so many baggy jumpers in her wardrobe- soon she’ll have to buy a whole different set of clothing that she can’t imagine wanting to wear now. 

Jughead sees the apprehension in her eyes as she looks at the belly. He lifts her shirt over her head and kisses across her chest. Betty feels the warmth of his hands across her back as he holds her and unclasps her bra. 

Betty feels his hands on her once again as she lies back and lets her own hands run against the hard muscles of his back, and then his front. She looses her insecurity in every caress of his body against hers. 

Focusing on Jughead gives her the opportunity to forget about all of her insecurities. Her lips on his skin as he lets out a large breath, as though she’s releasing tension he didn’t even know he had. 

‘Tell me you love me, Jug.’ 

He pulls back and looks at her. ‘I love you, Betty.’ 

She pulls him closer, her hands sneaking down to unbutton his jeans. ‘Tell me you want me.’ 

‘I always want you.’ 

He wriggles out of his jeans as she flips them over and all of a sudden it’s Betty in control. Not Dark Betty, but his beautiful girlfriend who isn’t entirely sure how to be when she’s on top. 

Jughead grins and sits up with his back against the headboard- now they’re on a somewhat level playing field as their lips meet once more and Betty shimmies out of her jeans. ‘You’re so fucking beautiful, Betty.’ 

‘Keep talking to me, Jug.’ 

‘I think about you all the time.’ 

She lowers herself onto his cock and they both moan. 

‘I love thinking about your sexy body,’ He continues as she begins to rock her hips on top of him. ‘Your breasts are perfect.’ 

He leans forward to take one of her nipples into his mouth, licking and nipping the sensitive bud between his teeth and reminding Betty of what he can do with that mouth of his. 

‘I love your thighs, and your ass...’ He caresses each object of his affection in turn as Betty speeds up the pace, his voice wavering as he starts to thrust upwards. ‘Betty.’ 

Her eyes are screwed tightly shut, her hands on his shoulders as she manoeuvres herself up and down on his cock. At the sound of her name, Betty’s wide green eyes shoot open and search his. ‘Jug?’ 

‘Your eyes are fucking gorgeous too.’ 

‘Mmmmm!’ She groans, throwing her arms around his neck as Jughead speeds up his thrusts and words fail him- not that Betty minds that much. 

When he feels her fingernails digging into his skin, he knows she’s close. He speeds up impossibly faster, impossibly deeper, and the most he can do is try not to cum before she does. 

Luckily, Betty breaks at the exact moment he does- her nails dragging pink scratches down his back as his thrusts become erratic and slow. He can feel her cunt spasm around him in extasy, massaging him wonderfully as they both begin to come down. 

Betty awkwardly un-straddles Jughead, while he opens the covers for her. It’s one of the rare nights when Alice Cooper thinks Betty is staying at Veronica’s, so the couple can stay in the trailer. There’s no fear of Chic, no need to lock their doors. 

They’re safe, for now. 

…. 

Pop’s Diner, Jughead’s second home, feels dark and menacing as Archie relays the news of Hiram’s plans. 

‘Hiram's trying to tear down Southside High by the end of this week? He's supposed to give the neighbourhood at least a six weeks' notice. Who'd he pay off? Can I have another water, please, Pop? Thank you.’ 

The water is quickly brought as Jughead seethes quietly, mind racing, trying to connect the dots. 

‘Jug, my dad got shot, right here in Pops, because Riverdale was sliding off the deep end.’ Archie sighs, knowing what he’s about to say next will likely make Jughead angrier than ever. ‘And... And if Mr.Lodge's plan can shore things up and help make Riverdale more secure for us and our families, then I think that's a damn good thing in my book. Besides, why do you care so much? You were only at Southside High for like, four days!’ 

Jughead can’t believe what he’s hearing- the outrage boiling within him is about to bubble over as his childhood memories of the Southside overwhelm him. 

‘You remember that I was raised on the Southside, right? My mom, my dad, Jellybean... That neighbourhood is the last tangible piece I have of them- until your dad comes in with his bulldozers.’ 

Archie withdraws slightly, folding his arms and staring at the table between them.

‘My dad's actually against this whole thing. He's pulling out of his deal with the Lodges over it.’ 

Jughead blinks. 

‘You're choosing Hiram's side over his.’ 

The redhead's eyes flick up, sparking defensively. 

‘We see things differently, okay? And it makes me sick.’ 

‘Kind of like when you and your best friend are two trains running on the same track in opposite directions, destined to collide?’ 

Archie's face turns stony. He stands up and places a tip on the table for Pop.

‘Let’s just hope it doesn’t come to that.’ 

Jughead knows better. He may be an idealist, but he’s also a revolutionary. There can be no fire without an initial spark, and as the redhead leaves he can almost see it happening- a stormy future playing out right before his eyes. Jughead on one side of Riverdale history, Archie on the other. 

The Serpent Prince shudders before leaving some crumpled bills on the table and leaving.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! Tension between B and V, tension between Jug and Archie, this whole fic could really use a massage or a spa day or a cuddle or *something*! Anyway, I hope you all liked this chapter. I'm going to be updating daily to get into the flow again (and distract from my doctors appointments, yuck) until the end of January.
> 
> As always, please let me know if you enjoyed or if there's anything you want me to add to this fic. Constructive criticism is also appreciated. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	35. Chapter 35

‘So Archie is going against his father?’ Betty says, gripping Jughead’s hand as they walk. 

‘In a big way. Hiram’s probably going to try to drown the construction company in legal fees, maximise his profit.’ 

‘What a bastard.’ 

The two walk through Eversgreen forest. It’s dark, but not so dark that the trees and the path blur into one. The sounds of the forest envelop them, and on some levels it’s calming. With the Black Hood gone, Riverdale at night seems like the perfect place to fall in love all over again. 

‘I’ve missed you, Jug.’ 

‘What? We’ve been seeing each other, like, every night.’ 

‘I mean, we haven’t really hung out so much anymore. You’ve been busy with trying to stop Hiram Lodge, I’ve been busy with Chic... It feels like the only time we spend together lately is trying to protect each other from... Something. The madness of Riverdale.’ 

‘There’s a lot to protect each other from,’ Jughead concedes, squeezing her hand. ‘But I get what you mean. And I’m sorry if it feels like I haven’t been able to concentrate on you so often. That’s not what I meant to do.’ 

‘I’m sorry too, Jug. I’ve been putting so much pressure on you, with Chic and the babies-’ 

‘Hey.’ He stops her once again, ‘Don’t you ever apologise for that. I’m not your boyfriend out of some fucked-up responsibility, or for the drama. I’m your boyfriend because I love you, and I’m here because I want to be. These kiddos are just as much my responsibility as they are yours, so don’t worry about me not being all in.’ He kisses Betty as though he’s scared she’ll break. 

‘I just hate thinking that this is all just a big mistake, and you’ll wake up in five years and realise it.’ 

‘And hurt you and our kids?’ Jughead scoffs as the Blossom manor comes into view. ‘Never.’ 

He holds Betty close and kisses her forehead. ‘Just try to enjoy Cheryl’s sleepover, okay? And call me if you need me. Don’t hesitate.’ 

She kisses him, throwing her arms around his neck. Betty never wants to stop kissing him, never wants to walk through the Blossom doors again, but eventually she has to. 

…. 

The history classroom has become something of a safe haven for the youngest generation of Serpents. This morning, Jughead is turning it into a war-council, telling them all about Hiram’s plans for the South Side. 

‘This isn't a demolition notice. It's a notice of extermination.’ 

‘We've already said our goodbye to the Southside, Jughead.’ Toni tries to sound consoling, while all the other Serpents nod their assent. 

‘Today, it's Southside High. Tomorrow, it's the world. Everything that makes the Southside our home is gonna disappear.’ Jughead sees Sweet Pea tense- Good, if he’s tense then they all have something to be angry about. ‘If we roll over now, it's all over.’ 

‘It's just a building, Jug. If we-’ 

‘No!’ Jughead says, a bit louder than he intends to, ‘Toni, it's the soul of the Southside. Serpents have fought and died trying to protect that land. Our parents fought to keep it safe during the riots. Now it's our turn. It's our time. This is our fight... So who's with me? Who's ready to go to war?’ 

The room is silent. He wonders if he’s made some terrible mistake, playing the part of his father in a Serpent world he can only half-understand. His feet itch to run, but Jughead stands tall, looking his fellow serpents in the eye. 

‘I am!’ Sweet Pea stands up. ‘The North Side is the worst part of Riverdale- I'm not living here while our homes get turned into a prison by the likes of Hiram Lodge!’ 

Jughead lets out a breath he hadn’t realised he was holding. 

The rest of the Serpents cry out their assent- some less enthusiastically than others, but that doesn’t matter. Not for the moment. All that matters now is that it’s no longer a simple game of Archie vs Jughead, but of the South Side Serpents vs Hiram’s Haram, or whatever he wants to call it. 

A Reckoning is coming to Riverdale. 

But first, shopping after school with Betty. Hanging out, like normal teenagers. Who just happen to be looking for something for their children. 

Their budget is pitifully small with neither of them properly working yet, but they’re determined to be as prepared as possible for the arrival of their children. 

‘What do you think of this one?’ He says, holding up a pink poofy thing he isn’t quite sure is a dress. 

‘Oh, that’s gorgeous! How much is it?’ 

Jughead reads the tag and winces. ‘More than it’s worth.’ 

Betty looks at the price for herself. ‘Shit, you’re right.’ 

Eventually, the two find themselves at the discount section of the store- there are toys and rattles and teething rings and all sorts of things that Jughead can’t imagine knowing the use for. 

‘I still have a lot of old baby toys Polly didn’t want. We shouldn’t have to worry about that too much.’ 

‘Clothes?’ 

‘Maybe a few. Right now, I think we should focus on the basics- cribs, bottles, that kinda stuff.’ 

‘Good idea.’ 

Looking at the cribs, they’ll definitely have to save up. Or raise their children in a sock drawer. 

The bottles are much cheaper- but then there’s the problem of style. How are they supposed to know what their kids will like? They can’t, so they must imagine. 

‘What if they like dinosaurs?’ Betty gushes, fingers brushing against a T-rex mug. 

‘Or the savannah?’ Jughead gapes, looking at a whole row of shelves devoted to various African animals. ’I bet their first favourite movie will be the Lion King.’ 

‘No- no, it’ll be finding Nemo!’ 

‘Maybe the girls will want to be princesses.’ 

‘Or pirates.’ 

‘Or ninjas.’ 

Tears come unbidden to Betty’s eyes. ‘Jug, this is gonna be so hard if we can’t even choose a bottle.’ 

‘Aw, Betty.’ He wraps his arms around her as a gaggle of browsing mothers go past the aisle, casting odd glances at him over Betty’s shoulder before disappearing down the diaper aisle. 

‘There’ll be three of them, Betts. We can pick one of each.’ They’re lucky they have just enough money for three tiny bottles, and three rattles. 

The cashier looks at the young parents-to-be with kind eyes, while Betty blushes and Jughead pays, smiling back. ‘Have a great day.’ 

‘And you.’ 

Before they’re even out of the store, Betty has their purchases safely hidden in her backpack. No-one watching the store would think the two had bought anything. 

‘Betty? Are you okay?’ 

‘I need to get a job.’ She groans. ‘Before I start showing more. It’s hard for pregnant women to get hired.’ 

‘Betts, you don’t need to worry about that- Pop will-’ 

‘I do! Jug, I’m going to be financially responsible for three kids. Three! And they’re not even-’ 

Jughead’s hands on her shoulders stop her as he stands in front of her to meet her eyes. ‘Betty. Calm. We have months to figure this out, and we’re gonna get there. This is all still super new to us. Every parent drops the baby on its head every now and again, right?’ He chuckles at Betty’s horrified look. ‘You know what I’m trying to say. Just... Focus on getting through the day, yeah?’ 

They walk back to the Cooper house and Jughead fills her in on the burgeoning war, which seems to keep Betty distracted from her growing belly. Though, when they walk into the Cooper kitchen that whole effort blows apart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OooOOOoooo! What's in the Cooper kitchen? Wait until tomorrow to find out ;)
> 
> As usual, please let me know what you think. You guys seem to like the added scenes with Betty and Jug, so I'm going through and adding some special moments for you here and there. Lots of supportive!Jug and whatnot coming your way!
> 
> Thank you for reading.


	36. Chapter 36

The sound of Chic and Kevin chuckling together in the kitchen makes Betty’s blood run cold. 

Jughead tries to keep hold of her hand, but she’s already storming away. 

‘What the hell's going on here?’ 

‘Chic invited me over.’ Kevin seems confused, and Betty realises he’s staring at her belly, before she crosses her arms and glares. Chic smiles and tries to lighten the mood. 

‘Cookie?’ 

‘No, thanks. How do you guys even know each other?’ 

Chic’s laugh would be friendly, if it wasn’t so terrifying. 

‘It's a funny story. You see, Betty, Kevin and I have been continuing our online chats.’ He smiles at her visible shock. ‘Imagine my surprise when he finally told me it all started as a catfishing scheme *you* cooked up.’ 

‘Kev, you sold me out?’ Betty looks hurt. Kevin doesn’t meet her eyes. 

‘I felt bad.’ 

‘Okay, Kev, you need to leave. I need to talk to my brother alone. Right now.’ Jughead can practically feel her blood-pressure skyrocketing. 

‘Betty, you're really kicking me out, right now?’ 

‘Mmm-hmm.’ 

Chic, ever the gentleman, kisses Kevin on the cheek and squeezes his hand. ‘It's okay, Kev. I'll catch you later.’ 

The front door opens and shuts, and Betty whirls on Chic once again, fists clenched tight. 

‘Do *not* mess with my friends.’ 

‘Mess with?’ Chic laughs. ‘What do you think I'm doing here, Betty? Clearly, there's something you want. Some void you're looking to fill here. Like brother, like sister, right? "We share the same darkness." Isn't that what you said?’ 

Betty’s brows are furrowed and her face is like steel as she growls, 

‘Yeah, I guess I was wrong. You know nothing about my darkness. But you will.’ 

Jughead takes her hand and pulls her upstairs before another word can be said. Chic grins in victory as Betty resists the urge to pummel him into the ground. 

Once they’re safely inside her room, Jughead sits her on the bed. ‘Are you insane?’ 

‘Everyone in my family is. What? Are you surprised?’ 

Jughead pinches the bridge of his nose. ’Look, I know that living with that asshole must be stressful as hell, but you have to try not to antagonise him, Betty. He could be dangerous.’ 

‘I can take care of myself, Jug.’ Betty crosses her arms and grits her teeth. 

‘Yeah, I know you can. But all I’m trying to say here is you need to be careful, okay? Not just for you...’ 

Betty’s eyes widen as Jughead sighs and collapses onto her bed. ‘I know we’re in the middle of very stressful times here, but we both have to try not to make any more trouble for ourselves. At least for now.’ 

Betty grits her teeth. 'He's a psychopath.'

Jughead sighs, taking her hands as he kisses the blooming red crescents on her palms. ’The other Serpents and I are chaining ourselves to Southside high, starting tomorrow. I don’t know how long my phone battery will last, but if you need me, that’s where I’ll be.’ 

He kisses her on the cheek and stays until Alice Cooper comes home and kicks him out for dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Precious Bughead moments. 
> 
> Thanks for reading. Whenever I doubt my skills as a writer I look at what you guys say and it really helps, so thanks ^_^
> 
> Next chapter will be up tomorrow.


	37. Chapter 37

Thunder rumbles and the skies hang heavy over Southside High as Archie Andrews stalks over to his best friend and worst enemy. 

Jughead has been chained to the school for the better part of 24 hours, and he regards Archie with a cool smirk. 

‘Well, well, well. The cavalry's finally here. Guess that means we've got Hiram's attention.’ 

‘Are you nuts? Chaining yourself to this place?’ Archie’s eyes scan around the rest of the Serpents chained to the school gates, before settling back on Jughead. His voice lowers. ‘They're tearing it down in two days, dude. You’re gonna be a father soon. You have to think about what’s best for your family. Think about it- stirring up trouble isn’t going to do you or Betty any favours.’ 

Blood boiling at the insinuation that he can’t care for his family, Jughead scoffs. The other Serpents move forward to stand beside him as he replies to Archie’s first comment. 

‘Hiram won’t tear this place down. At least, unless he wants the blood of eight young Serpents on his hands.’ He leans in close to Archie as he whispers, ‘We're not going anywhere. Go and tell your boss we said that.’ 

Archie searches for something clever to say, but instead walks away. Watching the redhead walk away, Jughead can’t help but feel a twist in his heart. Where is the boy he once knew? The one who would always try to do the right thing, no matter what? Who is this new Archie Andrews? 

.. .. .. .. 

It’s dark in the Cooper residence when Chic awakes to see Betty stood over him, with a photograph and a lighter. The flame flickers over her face like an apparition. 

‘Hello, brother.’ 

‘Betty? What-’ 

‘You think you're the only one who can scare people by being crazy?’ She chuckles. ‘You may have fooled my mother, but not me. I'm gonna bring you down. Because I catch bad men.’ 

Betty smiles at the terrified look in her brother’s eyes. ‘I caught Clifford Blossom. I caught the Sugarman. I caught the Black Hood. And you know what they all have in common?’ 

Chic shakes his head and Betty tilts hers to one side, still grinning. 

‘They're dead. Consider yourself warned.’ 

The light goes out and Chic isn’t sure if he hears her leave the room or not. 

.. .. .. .. 

‘God, why didn't you call me last night, Jug? If I’d known you were starting so early I would have brought you and your crew blankets.’ 

Betty is huddled under a quilt beside Jughead, rubbing the sore muscles under his clothes with her warm hands. He blinks the sleep out of his eyes. 

‘-And you would have tried to stay the night.’ 

Betty studies him- the dark circles under his eyes, the shake of his breath- he's frozen solid, despite wearing so many layers. It may be autumn, but that doesn’t stop the winter frost from covering everything at night- including her boyfriend and his serpents. The final glimmers of ice shimmer in his dark hair like diamonds. 

‘Are you sure you're not gonna get arrested for trespassing or protesting without a permit?’ 

‘Oh, that's the beauty of all this, Betty. See, if Sheriff Keller and his goons try and manhandle a bunch of teens peacefully trying to save their former school, it's just gonna look ugly. Not to mention, probably go viral... which at this point, it is publicity I would welcome.’ Seeing Betty’s concern still written in every line of her face, he grins and adds, ‘Also, no one's gonna mess with those guys over there.’ 

Behind the coffee-truck is the rest of the Serpents, looking intimidating as hell with their leather jackets and roaring motorcycles. Betty concedes, 

‘Good point. I have some Student Council obligations with Veronica, but I'll be back later tonight, okay?’ 

She pulls him in for a kiss before standing up once more. 

‘Go get 'em, Tracy Flick.’ 

The watches her walk away, Sweat Pea bringing them both coffee as he slips back into the chains. 

‘She’s a hell of a girl.’ The younger Serpent grins, nudging Jughead. 

‘She is.’ 

‘She gonna join us, at some point?’ 

‘The protest? She’s got a little too much going on to-’ 

‘The Serpents, dumbass. She’s carrying a hell of a torch for you, your dad loves her, she’s practically begging for it.’ 

‘Betty doesn’t need to get caught up in all this shit.’ 

‘She already is, man.’ Sweet Pea winces at the hot coffee on his frozen lips. ‘She might as well get something out of it.’ 

.. .. .. .. 

Veronica’s campaign goes well. 

For about two and a half minutes. 

Betty looks down at the yellow sheet of paper Ethel is passing around, taking note of the devil horns poking out of the cartoon-Veronica's head. She reads the terrible facts around the cartoon, and bile rises in the back of her throat. 

“VERONICA KNEW SOUTH SIDE HIGH WAS CLOSING!!” 

“VERONICA LODGE IS A SHAREHOLDER IN HER PARENT’S BUSINESS AND WILL BE PROFITING PERSONALLY FROM IT.” 

The rest of the facts Betty knows to be true or untrue, but this? This makes her sick to her stomach as she looks around and sees everyone else in the small hall holding a flyer. Ethel hands a flyer to Veronica and they have a quiet exchange that Betty can hardly hear over the sound of the blood rushing to her ears. 

‘Bribe?’ 

‘Amends?’ 

The odd word finds its way through Betty’s tunnel-vision, but she feels herself getting up and running to the bathroom before she can stop herself or hear Veronica calling after her. 

The brunette finds her best friend once again in the school toilets, hunched over a bowl and losing her lunch. When Betty feels she’s done, she turns to look up at Veronica with ice-cold eyes. 

Veronica is about to say something- but Betty cuts her off. 

‘That day in the student lounge, when Weatherbee announced that Southside High was closing, you acted like you didn't know.’ 

‘When my parents asked me to help them, I didn't feel like I could say no.’ Veronica won’t meet her eyes, shrugging. Betty growls, 

‘Of course you could've. You could've told your parents that you didn't want to be their teen accomplice, or you could have told us the truth. Instead, you just played us like fools!’ 

Betty stands up as Veronica’s eyes meet hers, looking almost earnest. If only Betty could believe it. 

‘No, I was just trying to keep them honest! That's why I started working with them. Betty, you have to believe me.’ 

‘Even if I did, I can't be your running mate anymore. You know that, right?’ 

At Veronica’s scoff, Betty sighs. ‘I can't trust you, V.’ 

‘You? You can’t trust me?’ Veronica takes a few steps forward, jabbing Betty’s shoulder with a perfectly manicured finger. ‘When you’re running around playing happy families with a man who’s certain to ruin your life? Who’s spending his time chained to a high school he went to for what, a week? Wow, you’re *so* lucky to have a man who cares about you *so* much.’ 

Betty walks past her best friend, washing her face quietly. After a moment of utter silence she whirls on Veronica, clenching her fists and snarling through gritted teeth. Veronica realises she’s made a mistake, but Betty cuts over her- 

‘You think you know anything about me? You rich, self-obsessed, spoiled bitch! I have so many problems- my brother is probably insane, my parents are getting a divorce, I’m pregnant, my boyfriend is working himself to the bone, and then here you are, using me to make your campaign look better while your parents destroy everything that means anything to Riverdale!’ 

‘Woah.’ 

Betty and Veronica’s heads snap around to see Ethel stood in the doorway, clenching 100 more flyers in her hands. 

‘Betty... You’re pregnant?’ That’s Josie, stood behind Ethel, followed by Valerie and Melody. 

Betty pales and rushes out of the bathroom, leaving Veronica stood there to answer a hundred questions she has no right to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh shiiiiiiiit. So now the whole school knows. Wonder what's gonna come of this?
> 
> I've written like 20 chapters ahead for this fic, but they're all small af, so I combined two to make this- how do you guys feel about longer chapters? Comment and let me know, otherwise I'll just keep wavering between tweet-length and longer. Unless that's what you want, which is great for me haha ^_^
> 
> Hope you're enjoying the fic so far! Thanks for reading!


	38. Chapter 38

The last thing Betty needs as she gets home is an interrogation from Alice Cooper. Yet, there it is, wrapped up and waiting for her like a gift. 

‘Stop right there, young lady. Come in here now! Is it true that you snuck into your brother's room last night to torment him with a Zippo lighter? And what exactly is this for?’ Alice holds up Betty’s black wig, looking like a nightmare. Betty hardly has time to process the situation before she realises she can use this to prove there’s something wrong with Chic. 

‘Oh my God, you creep! What did you do, go through my dresser drawers?’ 

‘I was looking for the lighter as proof and found all your secret toys.’ Damn it, Chic is always once step ahead. 

‘Why, in God's name, do you have this cabaret wig?’ 

‘She wears it when she has sex with Jughead!’ 

Alice freezes, looking from her son to her daughter with wide eyes. After a tense moment of silence, she gasps, 

‘Is-Is that true, Elizabeth?’ 

‘I-I- How would you even know that?’ Betty growls at Chic, who is sat back with his trademark smirk. God, she hates that face. 

‘I was guessing.’ 

‘Guessing? You disgusting little-’ 

Alice Cooper has to hold her daughter back from punching Chic in the face, while Betty starts crying, hard. 

‘Mom...’ She sniffs, burying her face in her mother’s jumper. Alice’s anger evaporates for a moment as Betty crashes down around her. ’Mom, I accidentally told- at school- they, they all know I’m-’ 

‘Oh god.’ Alice knows the ending of that sentence before her daughter has to finish it. There is a time to be angry at her daughter, and there is a time to stroke her hair and tell her everything is going to be okay, even when she isn’t completely sure of it herself. 

The wig is quietly taken up to Chic’s room, without the Cooper women noticing. 

 

.. .. .. .. 

On the other side of Riverdale, F.P. Jones is bringing his son food, and both are blissfully unaware of the horrific drama going down on the other side of their family. 

Jughead is the only Serpent in sight, wrapped in heavy freezing chains as he dozes. At his father’s voice, he wakes with a start. 

‘Last man standing.’ F.P. chuckles, walking up to Jughead and sitting beside him. ‘What happened to no Serpent left behind?’ 

‘Ah, they were claimed by frostbite. They'll be back after some coffee... They'll warm up.’ Jughead smiles weakly, trying to ignore the very audible rumbling of his stomach. 

’Too bad,’ Shrugs F.P. ‘I got a dozen burgers. Guess they're all yours now...’ He smiles at his son’s reluctant gaze. ‘Come on, boy. It's just you and me. I'm not gonna tell anyone you broke your hunger strike.’ 

Jughead opens one burger, and then another. Within moments he’s halfway through the care package, the warm meat spreading through his freezing body. F.P. clears his throat. 

‘So, uh...’ He sighs. ‘Just like clockwork, I got a call from Hiram.’ 

Jughead rolls his eyes. ‘What's he offering this time?’ 

‘You know how they're saying SoDale will mostly be low income housing?’ Jughead nods. ‘Well, apparently, there'll be a few penthouses at the top. Would be more than enough space for all of us. Your mom, Jellybean... Just like you always wanted.’ 

Jughead closes his eyes and smiles. He chuckles and F.P. looks at him, questioning. 

‘Just imagine me, standing on that balcony and looking over a prison. Right in the same spot where I grew up, where all my friends and I used to go to school. And Jellybean, growing up in a town where her best hope, her only hope aside from getting the hell out, is to work at the prison?’ Jughead sighs. ‘It's not right... So what'd you say to him?’ 

‘Nothing. I hung up on his ass and went to Pop's and got some burgers.’ 

Jughead smiles, imagining the look of indignation on Hiram’s face when he realised his lowest gambit had failed. The Serpents wouldn’t be falling, not tonight. 

Eventually F.P. has to bid his son goodbye and go to work the night-shift at Pops, covering for Jughead’s shift as well. Thank god for Pop Tate’s understanding soul. 

The young Serpents return and the chain warms slightly as they all talk over their coffee. It’s a slow day with few cars rushing past and not taking the time to read the protester’s signs. Jughead passes the time by messaging Betty his best attempts at poetry- though she doesn’t see his messages, and after 5PM he knows something’s wrong. 

As the sun sets, he spots a new figure in the distance. Tensing up for a battle, Jughead soon relaxes as he realises it’s Betty. Something about her face doesn’t look right, however, and he raises a brow as she sits down. Betty slides under the blankets with him and the other Serpents, and he wraps his arm around her, kissing the top of her head. ‘Hey, beautiful.’ 

‘Hey.’ He can tell from the tone of her voice that something definitely isn’t right. 

‘What’s up?’ 

‘I accidentally told everyone at school I’m pregnant.’ 

Jughead feels the collective intake of breath of the Serpents around him, but manages to focus on Betty. 

‘Fuck. Shit. Are you okay?’ 

‘No, but it’s not like there’s much of a choice for me now, is there?’ Betty sounds like she’s going to cry, and yet she doesn’t. Instead, she wraps her arms around her boyfriend and inhales his scent- the richness of the leather, the odd allure of his shaving cream, and something she could never quite manage to place- something so utterly Jughead that she can’t imagine being hurt when she’s around him. 

It’s a scent that lulls her into a sound sleep for the first time in days, and Jughead can’t bring himself to wake her up from that little miracle, even as the serpents quietly murmur among themselves, eventually asking him if it’s true. 

He only nods, stroking Betty’s hair until he too succumbs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter again. Since it's the last day of January, I think I'll be updating on Wednesdays from this point on. If you come back to this fic in a week and I haven't updated, please give me a tasteful roast.
> 
> Hope you guys are enjoying. I think the Bughead fluff at the end of this chapter is my favourite so far.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	39. Chapter 39

‘Betty, I have to ask... Were you being safe with Jughead?’ 

Betty looks up from her homework and the various medical forms the school has given her to fill in in preparation for her maternity leave. 

‘Yes, Mom. Of course we were. It was just an accident, you know?’ 

Alice walks over to her daughter, placing a delicate hand on her shoulder. For the first time, Betty sees her mother as an older woman, with a life of stress and things she wishes she could change, or forget. 

‘Well, that's something. Because...’ Alice looks at Betty’s raised eyebrow and sighs. ‘Look, when I was your age, I wasn't always. Safe. But you need to be, and I am very well-acquainted with how alluring the Jones men are. And I don’t just mean sexually- I know it probably seems a bit late for that now, but you don’t know the serpent life. Not like I did...’ 

Betty’s eyes widen as the implication of what her mother is saying dawns on her. 

‘Whoa- wait, Mom... Did you and F.P.- I mean, is it possible that F.P. is Chic's dad?’ 

Alice withdraws from Betty, but not before her hand tensed on Betty’s shoulder with such force that her question was already answered before Alice had the time to deny it. 

‘Absolutely not. But... Chic is a part of our family. He's your brother. I know that he's odd, and damaged- I see that. I'm not blind. But for the past 25 years, he hasn't had anyone to love him.’ Alice looks so heartbroken that Betty takes her hand and squeezes it, meeting her mother’s eyes. 

‘He's dangerous, Mom. Don't forget what he did.’ Memories of that horrible night echo through both the Cooper women’s minds. 

Betty is certain she’s bruised her mother’s feelings as Alice walks back to the doorway. As she’s about to close the door behind her, she whispers: 

‘I will never forget, Betty. But Chic needs us.’ 

.. .. .. .. 

An hour later, homework completed and Jughead messaged for their daily check-up, Betty steels herself outside of Chic’s door. Time to make amends. Chic seems surprised to see her, but he lets her in to sit on the bed. 

‘Mom says we should bury the hatchet. So, for her sake, how about a truce?’ 

Chic leans against his desk and Betty thinks about the photographs under the bed. She wonders if she’s close to being cut out of it altogether. 

‘Why should I believe you when all you've done is try to get rid of me?’ 

Betty rolls her eyes at Chic’s defensive stance. ‘If I really wanted to get rid of you, Chic, I would go down to the Sheriff's office and explain to him how you brained a man in our kitchen.’ 

Her brother scoffs. ‘You're not gonna do that. You see, I never touched that body, Betty.’ He smiles as the blood drains from Betty’s face. ‘Or the car. Or went through his phone, or called his contacts. I didn't go to the sewer pipe. It's not my fingerprints or hair they're gonna find. You know, maybe I should call the police, tell them what sort of things my sister's capable of doing.’ 

Betty’s stomach drops and she has to try hard not to stammer. 

‘You wouldn't dare.’ 

Chic smiles and his face is suddenly much too close to hers. She can smell her stale medication on his breath. ‘You know, I don't think I'm comfortable being in the same room as someone who's done those sorts of things.’ 

Chic leans back, enjoying the fear in her face as he whispers hysterically, ‘It scares me, Betty. You scare me. Can't you see that? You're scaring me, Betty. You're scaring me!’ 

Betty has to rush out of the room before she’s sick once more, and for once it has nothing to do with her pregnancy and everything to do with the monsters all around her. 

And perhaps the ones within her mind, too.   
…. 

The chanting is deafening. 

‘SAVE OUR SCHOOL! SAVE OUR SCHOOL!’ 

The thunder still rumbles as Archie Andrews leads his team of Bulldogs to the chains. In his hand are the duty-strength cutters that tell Jughead this battle is over, and the war is just beginning. 

F.P. step in front of the athlete and growls, 

‘Cops may let you by, Red, but you come in here acting like a big man and I will knock you down.’ 

Jughead calls out, 

‘Dad, don't! They'll throw you in jail. Don't give him an excuse.’ 

Archie stands in front of Jughead now, holding the cutters up with sad brown eyes. 

‘I'm sorry, Jughead.’ 

‘Me too. I'm not gonna fight you, Archie.’ Jughead smiles in victory. ‘Look around. It may have taken a couple of days, but now people know what Hiram's doing, what's happening here. This fight is not gonna go away. We're not gonna go away. So go on, cut us down.’ Jughead holds his hands up, the chains pulled taut. ‘I want them to see you do it.’ 

With that, the chains- and any friendship the pair may once have had- are severed. 

The rest of the bulldogs come in and cut the chains off of Fangs and Sweet Pea, but none of them make eye contact. Archie stares Jughead down, holding eye contact until the Serpent boy is pushed in front of him, the chains still not quite off his shoulders. 

The rest of the Serpents leave, and Jughead is right behind them- though he can’t help but glance back at Archie for a long moment, cementing a rivalry as old as Riverdale itself. 

.. .. .. .. 

Jughead might be able to be a tough guy in front of the cameras and the crowds, but inside the trailer, with his beanie off and Betty behind him massaging his aching muscles, he feels like he wants to cry. 

‘You think it even made any difference? Us freezing our asses off?’ 

Betty doesn’t even pause. ‘Definitely. Every revolution starts somewhere, Jug.’ 

‘Good. 'Cause I've been thinking, we lost Southside High. I don't want to lose Riverdale High too. And you've not heard more unlikely words come from my mouth, Betty, but...’ He turns to face her with a furrowed brow. ‘I wanna run for Student Body President. And I want you to be my co-president. I know that you and Veronica-’ 

‘Okay.’ He blinks at Betty’s interruption, before grinning. 

‘Really? - Just like that?’ 

‘Just like that. I'm in, Jug. There is no me and Veronica. You have to do me a favour, though.’ 

He tilts his head at her, questioning. 

‘You have to let me stay here. I can't stay in the same house as Chic anymore.’ 

He thinks for a moment. Does Betty realise what she’s asking? Moving in with the father of her children, into a trailer with hardly enough room for two people... It’s insane. Absolutely ridiculous. 

And absolutely everything he wants. 

‘Okay... Okay.’ 

The two don’t exchange words as their eyes come to the same agreement and their lips meet in a kiss that feels forbidden and new.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised- a new chapter on this fine Wednesday! Thank goodness I've saved myself from that tasteful roast... For now. Made the chapter a little bit longer than it was originally, too. Hope you guys like it. The moving-in-together scene is one of my favourites from the series, I hope I've done it justice here!
> 
> Thanks so much for reading. It means the world to me.


	40. Chapter 40

Betty stopping by the Cooper house to pick up her things doesn’t go down well with Alice Cooper, who turns into a screaming banshee halfway through the altercation. Yet, even she can’t stop Betty from leaving in the end. Short of calling the police. 

Jughead can feel her red eyes staring bullets into his skull as the young couple zoom away on his father’s motorbike, leaving Alice screaming and swearing on her front lawn. Chic watches from the living room window. 

‘So how’d it go?’ F.P. asks as the two stumble into the trailer. He chuckles. ‘That good, huh?’ 

‘Sorry, Mr Jones.’ Betty sighs, taking off her shoes. ‘My mom is just... insane.’ 

‘Not as insane as your brother, I’d bet.’ F.P. chuckles. ‘You’re welcome here as long as you like, Betty. And if the wrath of Alice Cooper comes knocking, we just pretend we’re not home. Park the ‘cycles behind the trailer... she'll never know the difference.’ 

F.P.’s eyes go wide as Betty rushes forward to hug him, and they both break away smiling. 

‘Thank you so much, Mr Jones.’ 

‘Please, it’s F.P.’ 

‘Thanks, F.P.’ 

F.P. bows his head and gets up to work the night shift once again at Pops. Before he leaves he looks at Jughead and Betty and says- 

‘Oh! Right, one last thing- if your mom does ask, I’m taking the couch so that you can sleep in my bed. Separate bedrooms for you two. Okay? I know what your mother’s like, Betty. She’ll like that.’ 

The young couple nods, before they’re suddenly alone in the trailer. 

It doesn’t take long before their clothes are off and Betty’s legs are wrapped around Jughead’s waist, his lips on her neck and her groaning his name. 

‘Jug... We should really try to make it to the bedroom at some point...’ 

‘Mmm-mmm..’ Jughead nips her shoulder, admiring the subtle mark left there and the noises she makes as he grinds against her. ‘But I want to make love to you in every room of this trailer first.’ 

‘Oh- Oooooooh!’ Betty cries out as he sinks to his knees, and pulls her most intimate parts towards a very welcoming tongue. She groans as he finds the perfect spot. Her fingers tangle in his hair. Her breathing grows heavy. 

Right as she’s about to come harder than ever before, Jughead pulls away. Betty fixes him with a harsh look and growls, ‘What do you think you’re doing, Forsythe Pendleton Jones the Third?’ 

‘Making good on my promise, Elizabeth Cooper.’ Jughead picks her up and carries her into the kitchen, placing her on the countertop. His tongue tickles her ear as she groans, ‘I’m going to fuck you in every single room. Is that alright with you?’ 

His final question is punctuated with his fingers slowly slipping into her, grazing against all the spots he knows she loves. She nods against his neck, her teeth grazing Jughead’s flesh as his fingers are replaced by his cock. 

His hands journey up to her breasts to tease her nipples as he pulls back to look at Betty’s face. By now, he’s finely tuned to her noises of pleasure. He knows how to touch her just right, to build her and tease her before she comes apart in his arms, over and over. 

And she does; in the kitchen. The living room. The shower. His room. They fall asleep then, though they’re keen to do the whole thing over again tomorrow, and every day, until they find something better to do. 

…. 

‘Okay, now just a quick reminder, that this school hall is a PTA sponsored event.’ Alice Cooper’s voice is unwavering, though from the way her gaze lingers on Betty for a moment it’s clear that her wounds are still sore. 

Betty steels herself. It takes everything not to reach for Jughead’s hand. What is she doing here? Who’s going to vote for a loner-outsider from the Southside and his pregnant girlfriend? 

Calm down. Concentrate. 

‘Oh, looks like we have our first question.’ 

Sweet Pea stands up in the crowd, ‘Yeah, no offense to the, uh, current administration, but it doesn't feel like anyone's looking out for the students who are being bussed in from the Southside.’ There’s a murmur of agreement from the surrounding Serpents. ‘Is that gonna change?’ 

Jughead is the first to answer: ‘Absolutely, Sweet Pea, that's our priority. And no one should feel marginalized or excluded here.’ 

Betty affirms Jughead’s statement. ‘Jughead and I will be representing all students, North and Southside alike.’ 

‘Next question. Yes, Midge?’ 

‘My question is for Archie and Veronica. Rumour has it that your parents will soon be on opposite sides of the Mayoral election, won't that negatively affect your working relationship?’ 

Veronica stands up and smiles, every bit the socialite. ‘Archie and I adhere to the old maxim that "politics are never discussed" at the dinner, or the cafeteria, table.’ 

The crowd laughs as Archie smiles, 

‘Veronica and I are on the same page about everything, including her family's plans for a prison on the Southside.’ 

As soon as they’d won them, the crowd is lost in discontented murmurs and even outright booing. Veronica fires a warning glance at Archie. 

‘In the meantime, however, we're committed to improving the quality of life at Riverdale High, which means more extracurriculars’ 

‘Reggie and I agree.’ Josie pipes up. ‘Except, add the fact that we can and will deliver results.’ 

Reggie is quick to add, smirking, ‘And we're chill, unlike these guys.’ 

No kidding, Betty thinks, looking at the gaze-of-death Veronica gives Archie. 

…. 

When the initial round of questions is over, Betty is quick to lead Jughead through the dispersing crowd, much to his confusion. 

‘Shouldn't we be hobnobbing or something?’ 

‘No, we have to go before my mom attacks us. She's a heat-seeking missile.’ 

Right on cue, Alice Cooper hustles out of the auditorium and catches sight of Betty and Jughead, before Betty pulls them away, hidden in an alcove. Jughead sighs, 

‘You can't keep dodging her forever.’ 

‘Maybe not, but I can damn well try. Let's go, before-’ She pauses as her mother’s voice raises from around the corner. Her hand clamps over Jughead’s mouth before he can give away their position. 

‘FP, you should be ashamed of yourself. Letting my sweet, innocent daughter live in sin in that soup can you call a trailer!’ 

‘You think I'm a fan of this arrangement? You're talking to the guy who's sleeping on a pull-out sofa with his son so your daughter can have his bedroom.’ 

Betty grins at the conviction in F.P.’s voice and the shock in Alice’s. 

‘You're doing that? But-’ 

‘Look, Alice,’ F.P.’s voice lowers and Betty has to strain to hear it. ‘take it from a guy whose son choose being homeless over living with his old man. Make things right with her, before it's too late.’ 

F.P. walks past the alcove where Betty and Jughead are hiding, whistling for them to follow without looking back. Betty can’t look at her mother, while Jughead sends Alice an apologetic glance. 

The future grandmother can only watch as her daughter is spirited away and out of sight. 

…. 

‘See, they’re all visible today. Congratulations, Miss Cooper. Mr Jones.’ The doctor grins. 

‘Oh my god.’ Betty’s eyes are full of tears. ‘Jug, look!’ 

‘I see them, Betty!’ Jughead would be jumping up and down if it wasn’t for the doctor regarding the two of them with a smile on her face. 

‘Do you want to know the genders?’ The doctor grins, and Betty and Jughead look at each other and simultaneously nod. 

‘Well, baby number 1 is a girl, you can see here: baby number 2 is a boy, and baby number 3... isn’t in the right position for us to be able to tell. Hopefully next time we’ll be able to tell you some more. But for now, you have three healthy heartbeats.’ 

Betty and Jughead are transfixed by their son and daughter and the mystery third child, even as the doctor takes photographs for them to keep. Even as the machine shuts down and the doctor asks if they have any questions, and they shake their heads no even though they have a thousand questions. 

The walk back to the trailer is silent, interspersed with chuckles and kisses. At one point Jughead kneels down to pick a daisy, placing it in Betty’s hair as she chuckles. 

Halfway through the walk Betty’s feet become incredibly sore, and Jughead winds up giving her a piggyback ride. 

They’re a flawed family, but a happy one. 

There’s no way of telling the chaos that’s just around the corner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof. Bughead smut, fluff, and election strategy, all in one fanfic? This must be your lucky day. I hope you guys are enjoying these longer chapters, it's fun blending what I've already written together. I hope it's not too much like a beat-up-jigsaw of a story for you :)
> 
> Hope you guys are enjoying. Thanks for reading. Next Wednesday: a murder is uncovered, and Betty gets in trouble with the Serpents. OOOooooOOOo!


	41. Chapter 41

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DISCLAIMER: This chapter doesn't do anything to further the plot. This is just some Bughead fluff for you all, since it's Valentines day and everyone deserves something nice. I hope you all love yourselves, you're gorgeous ;)

With Veronica actively fighting Betty, Archie becoming a goon for Mr Lodge, and Betty’s constant need of massaging, Jughead has to take time to slow life down. Just for ten minutes. Every day, he wakes up early from bed and kisses Betty on the forehead, before grabbing a true crime novel, a flashlight, and ducking into his closet for a few minutes. 

What he doesn’t realise is, Betty is always awake at least ten minutes before him. She hardly sleeps, now her belly hangs awkwardly out from the rest of her body. She spends the minutes breathing deeply, gradually opening her eyes and looking around Jughead’s room. 

He hasn’t spent a lot of time here- between being homeless, living with Archie, and sleeping at her place every night, there’s a thin layer of dust settled over most of his belongings. His schoolbag leans against a guitar that he hasn’t had time to pick up in ages- not that he’d want to compete with Archie ‘Dreamboat’ Andrews, anyway. 

That would be ridiculous. 

Obscure indie band posters cover the walls, sulking slightly- the tape holding them up needs replacing. Apart from that, there’s books. Books all over the floor in semi-organised piles, books on true crime on the shelves, books on mysteries and conspiracies on the desk, and books on child-rearing and pregnancy beside his laptop. Betty smiles and relaxes slightly. Even if her boyfriend does occasionally need to hide in the closet, he loves her. He’ll look after her. 

Inside the closet, Jughead enjoys his book. The dirty laundry on the floor cushions him and envelops him with the scent of slightly too much aftershave. Good thing Betty likes it. 

He’s been doing his morning ritual often enough to know that his ten minutes is coming to a close. But, it’s a Saturday, which means that it’s a day for him and Betty. Just the two of them. Phones off, no outside forces coming to whip up a hurricane in their lives. 

He inches the closet door open so as not to wake up Betty, and smiles at the way the light catches her messy bed-head. His hands instinctively reach for his beanie on the bedside table, but he stops himself. 

Not today. Not with Betty. 

With another quick kiss to her forehead, he dashes to the kitchen. Pancakes. 

Several eggs, cups of milk, and smoke alarms later, he throws a pile of charred disks out of the trailer. 

Waffles. 

The toaster never fails him. 

He grins at the golden-brown waffles- he's outdone himself. 

Strawberries. White chocolate syrup.These form a smiley-face on one waffle, and a heart on another. He likes to get creative with it. He takes a napkin and rolls it into the shape of a rose, tearing the corners slightly to form leaves. He secures it with a hair-tie, and puts it on the tray with their breakfast. 

One black coffee later, and he’s well-and-truly outdone himself. Voila! A makeshift Valentines day, at no extra charge. They agreed not to do gifts. He grins. 

She’s awake and reading his notebook when he comes back into the room. 

‘Nice poems, Romeo.’ 

‘Only because you’re such a pretty Juliet.’ He smiles and places the tray on the bed, climbing in with her. 

Her kiss is soft and tastes of morning breath. He doesn’t mind. 

‘Waffles?’ Betty grins. ‘I knew I heard the smoke alarm.’ 

‘Haw-haw. Just appreciate my art, will you?’ 

She takes a bite and moans, exaggerating. ‘Oh my god. You’re right. I’m dating Gordon Ramsay. This is the elixir of the gods. No mere mortal could possibly have made this pure ambrosia.’ 

Jughead smirks. ‘That’s more like it.’ 

‘Thanks for the waffles, Juggie.’ 

He takes a strawberry between his front teeth and wiggles his eyebrows. ‘Anything for my Juliet.’ 

Who has time to be worried about Hiram, or Chic, or anything but how many shades of blue there are in her eyes? 

After breakfast, they move into the living room and marathon the newest in serial killer documentaries- something about Ted Bundy. They add their own trivia to the narration, and to any outside observer they wouldn’t be anything other than odd. 

They are odd. But they’re Betty and Jughead, so it works. 

His arm around her, her head on his shoulder. Their fingers entwined on the top of her bump. His heart skips a beat whenever he feels slight movement, even through her shirt. His children. He never thought he’d have this. 

They’re a family of two, for now. Yet, he’s not as worried about becoming a family of five overnight as he was seven months ago. In fact, he can’t imagine any other way he’d rather be. 

He’s the Serpent prince, and it seems he’s found his princess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoy! Have a happy Valentines, even if you're alone.If you are alone and you're sad about it, just remember Betty spent like 15 years pining over Archie before she found Jughead. And I think we all know who the better man is ;)
> 
> Love you all, thanks for reading.


	42. Chapter 42

‘Whoa, easy, Alice. Hold on.’ F.P.’s face is grave as he points at where Jughead and Betty are sat on the sofa. ‘Turn to channel eight, right now!’ 

Betty’s heart drops as she recognises the scene on the television screen. It’s like a nightmare that she’d almost forgotten about, from the first time Chic had tried to live with them. Betty remembers the pool of blood and the smell of rust on her fingers. 

‘It is not yet known how or when the car first entered the swamp, but foul play has not been ruled out.’ 

‘Okay, Alice. Listen to me. Jughead and I have work tonight. Meet us at Pops... Bring him if you want. This involves all of us.’ 

He hangs up the phone and looks at the young couple before him. ‘Put your coats on. We need to get going. Now!’ 

Twenty minutes later, the four of them have taken over a corner booth at Pops, trying unsuccessfully not to look inconspicious. 

Jughead furiously whispers, ‘We should've known better. I should've known better. We should've driven that damn car further out of town!’ 

F.P. is quick to scoff. ‘No, no. How could you have known that Junkyard Steve drags the swamp for people's castoffs? It was dumb luck.’ 

‘It's Jones luck, you mean.’ Jughead groans squeezing his eyes shut and throwing his head back. 

‘Shouldn't Chic be here, considering he's the one that brained the guy?’ Betty half-snarls at her mother. 

‘Don't worry about Chic.’ F.P. consoles. 

‘Normally, I would disagree.’ Jughead muses, ‘Definitely worry about Chic... but he doesn't know anything about the car.’ 

Betty explains, ‘When we got to the Swamp, we wiped the thing clean of fingerprints - before we pushed it in.’ 

F.P.’s eyebrow raises. ‘Wearing gloves?’ 

Jughead thinks hard. ‘I think so.- I'm pretty sure...’ 

‘What do you mean you "think so"?’ 

‘No, no. We were. We 100% were.’ 

The door to the diner rings as Sherriff Keller enters, turning the blood of the Cooper-Jones family into ice. Alice leans forward and murmurs, 

‘If anybody comes around asking questions, we don't know anything. We don't talk to anyone. We act like everything's normal. Including, Betty, you coming home so you're not nesting with a bunch of Serpents.’ 

F.P.’s nose wrinkles in distaste as Betty shakes her head. 

‘No, you are not gonna use this to manipulate me, Mom. You know the deal. I come home when Chic leaves.’ 

F.P.’s eyes travel around the table. ‘Okay- Everybody, be cool. In the unlikely event that something happens, we batten down the hatches. Until then, life goes on, and nobody goes anywhere near that car. Are we in agreement?’ 

The group nods their heads in unison. Jughead and F.P. get up and go to work, serving Sheriff Keller his milkshake with a smile on their faces, as if nothing’s amiss. 

Betty’s anxiety resurfaces as she’s left alone in the booth with her mother. 

‘When are you going to come home, Elizabeth? What can I do to prove to you that your bother isn’t dangerous?’ 

‘Mom. Stop. You and I both know there’s a darkness in him- and in me- that isn’t good for anybody.’ Betty’s hands come to rest over the subtle bump of her stomach. ‘I just need some time to figure out what’s up. Okay? And I don’t think I’m going to feel safe in our house while Chic is around.’ 

Alice opens her mouth and closes it again, tired of fighting. Betty’s fingers twiddle together as she smiles at her lap. ‘We found out the genders. At least, for 2/3 of the babies.’ 

Alice’s face instantly breaks into a huge grin. ‘Oh?’ 

‘Yeah. One boy, one girl. And one mystery that will hopefully be solved by the time we go for the next scan.’ 

‘Betty, that’s incredible.’ Alice’s eyes are watery. Betty has only seen her mother cry a handful of times, but this time it makes tears come to her own eyes. 

‘Oh, mom!’ 

The two women find themselves sobbing and hugging and talking for the rest of the boy’s shift, when it’s time for Betty to go to her new home, a town away from Alice Cooper. 

.. .. .. .. 

The history classroom-turned-war-council is tense the next day, with Sweet Pea on the offensive. 

‘You promised us a war. Then you're on stage looking like Buddy Holly, sucking up to the Northside?’ 

‘We need their votes, Sweet Pea. It's the only way that we can affect any change. Whoever's elected gets a seat on the School Board.’ Jughead tries to keep his voice calm and reasonable, even as the rest of the Serpents visibly agree with Sweet Pea. ‘...That means we're on the inside, that means that they can't silence us.’ 

‘You and the Northside princess, you mean?’ 

‘Wait, is that why you guys are pissed?’ Jughead blinks. ‘Betty's on our side!’ 

‘Yeah! I've helped the Serpents on numerous occasions. I helped find the Pickens statue's head, I got Cheryl to testify in court so FP, your king, could get early parole-’ Sweet Pea cuts her off before she can continue her list, much to Jughead’s irritation. 

‘You did all that for your boyfriend, not the Serpents.’ 

‘All right, take it down, Sweet Pea-’ 

‘What? It's only a matter of time before she bails on us, just like her mother.’ 

Betty crosses her arms as Sweet Pea snarls at her. ‘Okay, so your objections aren't even about me, they're about my mom.’ 

‘-Her legacy, yeah.’ Sweet Pea turns back to Jughead. ‘She's an enemy of the Serpent State; taking shots at us in the Register for years, blaming us for crimes we didn't commit... Running with a turncoat's daughter is a slap in the face, and for that reason alone, you're not getting the Serpent vote.’ 

Jughead has to count to ten to hold his anger in. Sweet Pea holds too much sway with the younger Serpents to let Jughead deck him right then and there. 

By the time Jughead is ready to talk once more, the bell has rung and the other Serpents are scattering to class, leaving just Sweet Pea, himself, and Betty. 

‘Not all wars are loud and clear, Sweet Pea. We need a trusted Northsider like Betty to keep us in good graces with them. We’re the outsiders on this turf, and if we’re going to win our homes back, we’re going to have to win this place over first.’ 

‘And the fact that she’s carrying your bastard has nothing to do with it?’ 

‘I’d be on Jughead’s side, pregnant or not.’ Betty stands up and glares at Sweet Pea. ‘I’m not like my mom, Sweet Pea. Not one bit.’ 

‘Besides,’ She adds, glancing over her shoulder as she heads out the door, ‘The baby will be half-serpent. You can’t deny that.’ 

.. .. .. .. 

Betty might be cool and calm in front of the other Serpents, but back at the trailer she can’t help but rant at Jughead over their algebra homework. 

‘What do Sweet Pea and Fangs want from me, anyway? What will it take for them to accept me? Do I need to wear plaid? Do I need to get a leather jacket? Or a snake tattoo?’ 

She expects instant agreement from her boyfriend, but deflates at his response: 

‘To be fair, your mother is Serpent Enemy No 1.’ 

‘And meanwhile, the Shady Man's car is out there somewhere and we have no idea what's going on with it.’ 

‘Yeah, I've been thinking about that, actually.’ Jughead closes his algebra textbook. ‘I know that our parents told us to act "normal," and let sleeping dogs lie, but riddle me this- what is our "normal"?’ 

The look on his face brings a smile to Betty. 

‘Normal is investigating something when the entire world tells us we shouldn't.’ She closes her textbook. ‘Pumping our sources for information... We need to pump Kevin.’ 

Jughead laughs. ‘I think we should at least buy him a milkshake at Pops first, but okay.’ 

…. 

Kevin is enjoying his milkshake as his two friends grill him for no obvious reason. 

‘Why do you guys even care about this car?’ 

Betty and Jughead share a look as he sips his milkshake suspiciously. 

‘We don't- we, uh, care about the environment.’ Betty explains. ‘And we're writing an article about how people use Swedlow Swamp as a dumping ground.’ 

‘The car's just part of a larger story.’ Jughead agrees. 

‘Well, according to my dad, it was claimed by its owner this morning.’ 

‘The owner - who's in Riverdale?’ The fear in Betty’s voice is unconcealable. 

‘Yeah. Now they're trying to figure out who stole it in the first place.’ The anger in Kevin’s voice is palpable, and Jughead shares a look with Betty. ‘But that’s not why I agreed to meet you guys here.’ 

Kevin focuses squarely on Betty. ‘When were you planning to tell me?’ 

‘Tell- tell you what?’ 

Kevin rolls his eyes. ‘You know what, Betty. Why did I have to find out about this Bughead baby from Ethel Muggs, of all people?’ 

The tension drains from Betty’s shoulders and she smiles weakly. ‘Kevin, I never meant to tell anyone-’ 

‘Veronica says she’s known for months. Archie’s known for a month.’ 

‘Hey, Betty and I were just trying to figure out what was best for us.’ Jughead interjects, but Kevin holds up a finger, still staring at Betty. 

‘I need you to tell me everything. Do you know the gender? How far along are you? When are you holding your baby shower? Have you thought about names yet? Oooh, what about a gender-reveal party?’ 

‘I- I- um-’ Betty’s speechless, once again, as Kevin begins to plan the next few months of her life with a sort of childish glee. Jughead, thankfully, fills in most of the information- gender, names, party ideas- the two spitball the idea of a half-joking go-fund-me page for the three Cooper-Jones children. Betty realises that it’s an unspoken agreement that they’ll have both her and Jughead’s last name, and the thought makes her smile. 

They’ll be tied together forever, in the form of three real, living human Cooper-Joneses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, sorry I didn't put this up on Wednesday. Someone challenged me to help write a book in a week, so that's been literally all I've had energy for. Well, that and the flu. Bad combination. Worth it to be a published author again :)
> 
> Hope you guys liked this chapter. More will be here on Wednesday. For realsies.


	43. Chapter 43

Their parents don’t react well to the news of the couple’s snooping. Alice in particular drops by the trailer to have a screaming match with her daughter. Chic sits on the couch and watches with his usual stoic attitude, but Jughead can tell there’s something different- something desperate that’s boiling away underneath his surface. 

‘Has shacking up together driven you both completely insane?' Alice screams. 'Talking to the Sheriff's son about that car? You didn't think that that was going to raise any red flags?’ 

‘No. Kevin didn't suspect anything-’ Betty tries to maintain distance between her and her mother. ‘And at least we know what's going on now!’ 

‘Yeah!’ Jughead interjects, before the women can rip each other apart. ‘Which is that Chic's drug-dealer stole someone's car before he made his run to your house.’ 

Chic chooses now to murmur, ‘Dwayne didn't have wheels. He was always borrowing his girlfriend's car.’ 

‘Someone called the Shady Man's phone while I had it.’ Betty suddenly remembers aloud. ‘And she sounded like a crazy person, but not like there was a lot of love lost between her and Dwayne.’ 

‘That could be Darla, yeah.’ 

‘Is this Darla somebody that we need to be worried about?’ Alice asks, causing Chic to study the floor. 

‘Uh, I don't really know her.’ 

‘Shocker!’ Betty can’t help but roll her eyes. ‘Gee, Chic, have you ever actually been helpful in any way to anyone? You just-’ 

‘Enough, Elizabeth!’ 

F.P. steps between the two women. ‘Right. Whoa. Let's stick to the plan. This has nothing to do with us. Dwayne stole Darla's car, Darla got it back. Let's just hope it ends there.’ 

‘And pack your things, Betty, because this honeymoon is over. O-ver. You two playing house and running around town like loose cannons is beyond the pale. We don't want Hal finding out about this. The last thing we need is for him to stick his nose in it.’ 

Betty’s about to say there’s no way in hell that’s about to happen, when Chic stands up. 

‘I'll move out. I'll get a place, Betty.’ Everyone in the room turns to stare at him. ‘It's your house, not mine.’ 

‘Fine.’ Betty turns to her mother. ‘I'll come back. After Chic's gone.’ 

‘Oh, I'm done with your ultimatums, young lady. You're coming home now! And if you don't back me up on this, FP, I will tear this trailer apart with my bare hands.’ 

F.P. doesn’t respond, only tilts his head at Alice, then at Betty. The look makes Betty realise how pointless this whole argument is. Jughead is always there in her bed every night, no matter where she’s living. She might as well give her mother the peace of mind that comes with getting her own way. Winning the battle and losing the war. 

‘Fine... I'll go get my stuff.’ 

‘I'll help you pack.’ Jughead takes her hand as Betty leads him back into his room, where her suitcase is hardly unpacked to begin with. 

‘Are you okay?’ He murmurs under his breath, helping her fold her dirty laundry. Betty turns to look at him, eyes full of tears. He tries to hold her, but she doesn’t stop packing. 

‘I’m scared, Jughead. What if Sheriff Keller does find something? Or if Chic doesn’t leave? I’m just...’ She sighs. ‘I feel ready to burst.’ 

‘We can’t have that.’ Jughead smiles slightly. ‘Not for another few months, at least.’ 

Betty chuckles. ‘Will you stay with me tonight? When I lock my door, will you be there?’ 

‘I’ll be wherever you want me to be, Betty.’ He hands her a pile of her socks, keeping a hold of her hand. ‘Always.’ 

.. .. .. ..

‘Sulk all you want, Betty.’ Alice snipes at her daughter without looking up from the dishes she’s washing. 

Betty does her best to maintain a blank expression. The anger may have been festering inside for the past few hours, but she has to remain cool. Calm. Confident. Someone her mother can't say no to.

‘I'm not. I was actually gonna see if you would sign something for me- a consent form.’ 

Alice arches a brow. ‘What, are you trying to get emancipated now? Just because I made you move back home?’ 

‘It's so I can get a tattoo... A Serpent tattoo.’ 

Alice goes red in the face. 

‘You have lousy timing, kiddo.’ 

Betty’s tone reverts to sarcasm- a habit she’s picked up from Jughead and can’t shake. 

‘Act normal, right? Life goes on, doesn't it?’ 

‘You are not getting a tattoo just to prove something to your boyfriend. Absolutely not!’ 

‘I'm practically a member of the Serpents!’ Alice’s eyes go wide as she whirls on her daughter. 

‘Do not say that!’ 

‘Well, don’t think that I won't find a tattoo parlour that’ll do it.’ Betty smirks, before the front door opens and slams shut and Chic stumbles in, along with a tall blonde woman. 

Chic is out of breath and looks genuinely frightened for once. ‘Mom! Betty! I was just trying to help.’ 

The blonde scoffs and drawls, ‘You must be Alice. And you must be Betty. Hi. I'm Darla.’ 

…. 

Next door, Jughead is helping Mr Andrews prepare for battle... Well, his first speech for the mayoral campaign, anyway. 

‘Okay, well, what about something like, uh "I'm all about investing in all the citizens of Riverdale, not just profiting from them."’ 

Fred nods and takes note. ‘I like that, Jug. I mean, that's great, it's simple.’ 

Archie comes into the kitchen and Jughead can’t help but return the glare. The tension between them is palpable, even as Archie greets his father. 

‘Dad. Hey.Jug, what's going on?’ 

‘Oh, Jug's helping me out here with the, uh... It's what your mom's calls my "announcement address." I'm not much for speechifying, but Jughead here is the best writer I know.’ 

Jughead smiles politely, ‘Then you need to meet more writers, Mr.Andrews.’ 

‘Oh, by the way, son?’ Fred smiles at Archie, ‘Your mom told me you'll be stopping by at the announcement, right? I appreciate that.’ 

‘I’m really looking forward to it, Dad. Hey, Jug? Can I talk to you for a second?’ 

Mr Andrews fakes a phone call to leave the two boys alone. Instantly, Archie is uncomfortably close to Jughead. His breath smells like gatorade. 

‘What the hell do you think you’re doing, helping my dad run for mayor? He’s just gonna get in trouble with the Lodges. You’re already on their list, dude.’ 

Jughead stands his ground. It unnerves him just how imposing the boy-next-door has become since working for Hiram. If Hiram Lodge can do this to Archie, what can he do to all of Riverdale? 

‘There’s not gonna be a list, if your dad gets into power. That’ll be one tentacle cut off from the Lodge’s power. Don’t you get it, Archie? This is all-’ 

‘No. Jug, you’re screwed if my dad wins, and you’re screwed if he doesn’t. The only question at this point is, how deep do you want Mr Lodge to fuck you in the ass?’ Archie pushes Jughead lightly, backing the shorter boy against the counter. ‘If he decides to come after you, that’s one thing. If he tries to go after Betty? Or your kids? Have you thought about that? Because I’m not going to be able to protect them from your mistakes, no matter how close to him I get.’ 

Jughead shoves the redhead away from him and growls, ’Why the hell do you think I’m doing this? I’m just after stopping there from being a Lodge mayor. By the time I’m done, there won’t be a prison. The Lodges are gonna be run out of Riverdale, if it kills me. And if they go after Betty, or anyone I love...’ Jughead’s eyes turn dark and he doesn’t finish the sentence. Archie’s face stays blank as the two boys square up to each other. 

What’s happening to us? Jughead backs away and tosses a few words over his shoulder as he leaves the house. 

‘Tell your dad I have to get to work.’ 

.. .. .. .. 

‘Honestly, I'm not surprised that deadbeat Dwayne borrowed my car without asking.’ Darla scoffs. ‘He does it all the time. What did surprise me was the car turning up in a swamp in Riverdale... And then, just as I was getting ready to head back to Centerville, Chic called me.’ 

Betty scowls at Chic, who flinches. 

‘Why would you do that?’ 

Darla sniffs the pink tea Alice has poured for them. ‘He thought he could sniff out how much I knew. Isn't that right, Chic-a-dee?’ She sets the cup down without taking a sip and chuckles. ‘But there's no playing a player, I saw right through him.’ 

Darla smirks at the horrified look on Alice’s face. ‘It's okay, Dwayne was a heel. I wouldn't be surprised if he stole my car to pick up some floozy only to get himself killed. Like I told Chic, I don't particularly care what happened to Dwayne. I don't see any reason to ask any questions about him... especially not if I get the ten grand he owes me. I get that, I'm a happy camper who'll be out of your lives forever and ever, Amen. If not... well, then I might just have to have a long talk with that handsome Sheriff of yours.’ 

Betty stands up. ‘We have nothing to do with-’ 

Alice interrupts, her voice even. 

‘We don't have that kind of money on hand... But if we get the money for you, we're done here, right? You'll leave, no questions asked?’ 

Darla grins. ‘Zip my mouth and throw away the key.’ 

‘Okay. We'll go to the bank and make a withdrawal.’ 

‘UH-UH-UH,’ Darla wags her long fingernail in Alice’s face. ‘One of you goes.’ 

‘Betty, then. Betty will go.’ Chic’s voice is fast and desperate. Betty doesn’t like it when even he’s genuinely scared. 

‘Mom?’ Betty looks at the time and can’t believe it. ‘The bank's not open until 9:00 tomorrow morning.’ 

‘I don't mind waiting. Got any board games?’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys. Hope you're all doing okay and still enjoying this fic. I'm at that point in the semester where my and everyone elses mental health is taking a helluva plunge, so your support really means a lot to me. I won't name names as I'm sure I'd miss someone important out, but I do notice you consistent commenters and you're all awesome, so thank you so much.


	44. Chapter 44

That night, Jughead taps on Betty’s window three times. She quickly ushers him inside. 

‘Jug!’ She whispers, throwing herself into his arms with a whimper, tension back in her shoulders. He quickly kisses her and they sit on her bed. She motions for him to keep his voice low. 

‘Everything okay, Betts?’ 

‘There’s a woman downstairs. My mom’s staying up all night with her and Chic. It’s the dead man’s girlfriend- Darla. Chic found her, and now she wants ten thousand dollars from us and I’m going to the bank tomorrow morning to get it.’ 

‘What? Betty, that’s-’ 

‘My mom’s already agreed to it, Jug.’ 

Jughead stands up from the bed, producing his switchblade and glancing at the door, fire in his eyes. Betty stands up, eyes wide. 

‘I’ll go down there and-’ 

Betty pulls him closer to her and doesn’t let go, even when he tries to push her arms off of him. ‘Jug, don’t.’ 

‘Why? I could call the Serpents. We could drive her back to Centreville, drop her off somewhere, and she’d never bother you again.’ Jughead can feel the switchblade in his hand; itching to be pressed. 

But then he looks down at his girlfriend’s face, and finds her eyes full of tears. Jughead immediately softens. 

‘I’m sorry, Betty. I didn’t mean to scare you. I just hate that people can come into our lives and mess us around, just because it makes things easier for them. Or because they think we’re weak. It isn’t right.’ 

‘I don’t want to see you go to jail, Jug.’ Betty sniffs. ‘I don’t know what I’d do.’ 

She’s shaking- her entire body. Jughead suddenly realises this is deeper than a day of stress. He sits them both on the bed, arm around her; rubbing smooth circles into her back. 

‘You- you worry about that a lot?’ 

Betty nods, her head against his chest. 

‘Betty, you don’t have to-’ 

‘No, Jug. I do. You’re in a gang, for god’s sake! Everything in our world is a thousand times more dangerous than it looks, and even school isn’t safe for us, now that everyone knows, and the Lodges are trying to take over everywhere, and you know they hate you and your family and-’ 

He kisses her, thumbs wiping the tears from her cheeks. ‘It’s okay. Betty, I’m never going to do anything that’ll separate me from you. Even Hiram Lodge doesn’t have the power to take me away from you.’ 

‘I hope you’re right, Jughead Jones.’ Betty finds herself being rocked to sleep in his arms. ‘I hope you’re right...’ 

…. 

‘It's our joint-account, so you shouldn't have any trouble.’ Alice hands Betty a slip of paper with all their family details written on it. 

‘Okay.’ 

‘Hey!’ Darla snarls from behind her cup of coffee. ‘Straight to the bank and right back, blondie.’ 

Betty nods, safe in the knowledge that Jughead is still upstairs in her room, listening out by the door. If anything terrible happens, he’ll be there to protect her mother. 

…. 

The plan goes off without a hitch, and an hour later Betty has a bag full of more money than she can imagine spending, much less giving to a scumbag from Centreville. She’s barely out of the bank doors when her phone rings. 

‘Hey, Mom. I'm just about to head home.’ 

Alice Cooper’s voice is hushed and urgent. 

‘No, Elizabeth. There's another one in the house now.’ 

‘What? What are you talking about?’ 

‘The guy that attacked Chic at the hostel, that manager?’ 

‘Oh my God!’ Betty’s heart drops. ‘Should I call someone?’ 

‘I don't know.’ Her mother sounds close to sobbing. ‘Just, Elizabeth, whatever you do, do not come home.’ 

Alice hangs up the phone before Betty can say anything more. 

It’s a good thing she has Jughead on speed-dial. She hopes to god he hasn’t done anything stupid- like go downstairs to confront them alone. 

‘Betty? Betty, I heard another one downstairs. I left to get the Serpents already. We’re on our way to take care of it now.’ 

Her heart swells with relief. Some part of her feels odd that he's using the Serpents like they’re her own personal security detail, but she’s glad he can. 

‘Jug, thank you so much. I’m on my way home now. Hopefully they’ll just take the money and leave, but if they don’t-’ 

‘-Betty-’ 

‘-I love you.’   
.. .. .. .. 

‘Why did you come back, Betty?’ Alice whispers, as the tall man paces in front of the family with bloodshot eyes. Darla counts the bills on the other side of the coffee table. 

‘You know, it took more than a week to get that pepper spray out of my eyes.’ 

‘Well, next time, maybe, don't attack my brother with a box-cutter.’ 

The man looks like he’s about to hit Betty, but Darla interrupts, the money stacked in meat piles before her. 

‘It's all here. Nice work.’ 

‘Okay, well... you have your money. Now, go!’ Even to Betty’s ears, her mother sounds weak; desperate. It’s truly frightening. 

‘What're you talking about?’ The man grins, showing a litter of brown and yellow teeth. ‘I just got here.’ 

‘Yeah.’ Darla nods. ‘And Riverdale's so much nicer than Centerville.’ 

‘And this house, I could get used to this house-’ 

Chic stands up, furious and hyperventilating. ‘You said if we gave you the money, you'd leave!’ 

‘Chic!’ Alice pulls her son back while Darla smirks at the family. 

‘Or what? You think you three can take us? Try it.’ 

‘Sit your ass down, Chic.’ The man grins, pulling out a switchblade and clicking it open, moving closer to Betty. ‘Or I'll cut out your sister's eyes.’ His gaze travels lower, to her full breasts, and the subtle bump of her stomach. ‘Or maybe somewhere else. Somewhere more fun...’ 

The front door implodes with a BANG! And a dozen Serpents flood inside, each with a baseball bat or a switchblade and a scowl to match. The tall man steps backwards, holding his hands up. Betty smiles at Darla. 

‘You think you two can take all of us? Try it.’ 

‘You brought back-up?’ Darla raises an eyebrow. ‘Does that mean you want me to go to the Sheriff's office, start making a stink?’ 

‘Well, that's your call... but my back-up and me, we're friends with the Sheriff's son, so whose side do you think he'll pick?’ Betty smiles as Jughead snarls, 

‘The Coopers are one of the most respected families in Riverdale... You two are just a couple of Centerville scumbags.’ 

‘Anything that was in your car, the swamp washed away, ‘else we'd have heard about it by now, so why don't you just grab the money and run.’ 

It’s not a question. The answer is clear enough, as the man clicks his switchblade away and puts it back in his pocket, looking ready to beat Betty to death, but not too fond of the three Serpents in his way. 

Darla ushers him out of the house, shooting a scowl from her rearview-mirror as she drives away, and out of sight. 

Betty collapses back into Jughead’s arms as Alice distractedly offers the Serpents tea. They don’t dignify the offer with an answer, and leave as abruptly as they came. 

‘Sorry about your door, Mrs.Cooper.’ Jughead sips his tea, one arm still around Betty. 

‘Thank you, Jughead. Thank your friends for me.’ 

‘We're Serpents. It's what we do.’ 

Alice Cooper nods, something in her eyes Betty can’t quite identify as she buzzes around the kitchen looking for biscuits. Jughead squeezes Betty slightly and whispers in her ear, 

‘Are you okay?’ 

‘I’ll be fine now. Thanks to you.’ Betty smiles and kisses her favourite Serpent on the cheek. ‘The important thing is we’re clear now. Mostly. And nobody’s in jail.’ 

Their embrace is broken up somewhat as Alice returns, hands shaking as she sips her tea. Chic settles next to her. 

‘Betty, you've been telling me something that I didn't want to hear.’ She turns to her son. ‘And I'm sorry, but... Chic, you've put us in danger twice now. So, I think that you should do what you said and leave this house.’ 

Chic nods, his face back to its permanent blankness. ‘I will. I'll find a place.’ 

‘Do it quickly, because you're not gonna spend another night here.’ 

Alice goes upstairs without another word, leaving the young couple with her newly-discarded son. 

‘I guess you must be happy, huh?’ Chic looks at his tea. ‘You finally got your wish. Mom hates me.’ 

‘Chic, she doesn’t-’ 

‘No, Betty. You know I was right when I told you that love is finite. Well, mom’s run out of it. I just hope I’m still around when you do, too.’ He grins and looks at her belly. ‘And man, you’re steamrolling towards that day.’ 

 

Chic leaves after that, but his words echo around Betty’s ear, even as she and Jughead hold each other on the couch. The television plays old music, giving them the chance to be alone with their thoughts. 

‘I can dim the lights and sing you songs full of sad things   
We can do the tango just for two   
I can serenade and gently play on your heart strings   
Be a Valentino, just for you’ 

Jughead sighs, not wanting to have to pretend to leave Betty only to climb up to her window- what's the point of that social nicety when Alice Cooper is probably too beside herself to even notice? 

Betty tries to content herself somewhere between the music and his heartbeat, both harmonising in a way that usually calms her- yet the spectre of the man waving a knife in front of her face haunts her mind. It’s all so much. Too much. 

‘Come on and sit on my hot-seat of love   
And tell me how do you feel right after-all   
I'd like for you and I to go romancing   
Say the word, your wish is my command’ 

She casts her mind further back, to the night their children were conceived. Further back- to the ‘Hey there, Juliet’ that kicked off their relationship, yet that isn’t how it started... Romeo and Juliet met and fell in love in three days- she's known Jughead since they were infants. Whenever Archie tripped her up and did all those things that young boys do when they don’t know how to treat girls... there was Jug, helping her up and giving her a tissue. She never could have predicted he’d be the one under her hands right now, soft and familiar as play-doh. 

‘When I'm not with you   
I think of you always   
(I miss those long hot summer nights) I miss you   
When I'm not with you   
Think of me always   
Love you, love you   
I learned my passion   
In the good old fashioned school of loverboys’ 

Jughead’s mind tries to think of Hiram Lodge’s machinations, but really, how much can he, when Betty’s head is against his chest and the strawberry-sweet scent of her shampoo is wafting directly into his face? When Veronica moved to town, Betty'd changed it to sour apple. Trying to be edgy, trying to keep Archie interested. He’d hated seeing it happen to her. He plays with her hair, twirling it around on finger in lazy circles. This is his girl. Strawberry-sweet.

‘Dining at the Ritz, we'll meet at nine precisely   
(One two three four five six seven eight nine o' clock)   
I will pay the bill, you taste the wine   
Driving back in style, in my saloon will do quite nicely   
Just take me back to yours that will be fine’ 

He remembers the mad dash to her house earlier, shaking with fear and rage at the idea that he’d be too late, that Betty could be hurt or worse- worse... 

No. He has to shake his head to remind himself that she’s fine. In his arms, unharmed, and beautiful. He kisses the top of her head. 

‘Everything's all right   
Just hold on tight   
That's because I'm a good old-fashioned fashioned lover boy’ 

Betty turns the television off as the song ends, straddling him slightly as their lips brush. He holds her closer than usual.

‘What is it?’ Her voice is so soft and so, so kind. Warm sugar. 

‘You could have died today.’ The words are out of his mouth before he can stop them, and he winces. ‘I mean-’ 

‘I didn’t.’ She pecks him again. ‘I know I could have. But let’s not focus on that. You came for me. The Serpent Prince called, and his loyal band of lovable rogues answered.’ She chuckles. ‘And Chic is out of the house. For better or worse.’ 

He kisses her now, hands gentle on her hips. Her jumper is too tight against her swollen belly and it lifts slightly at the minor touch, revealing a ribbon of pale silk that he can’t help but caress. 

‘I’ll always protect you, Betty.’ 

‘And I’ll always protect you.’ She yawns. ‘Now get me to bed. It’s late.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. Long chapter. Hope you guys liked it ^_^. I'm oddly proud of the little songfic fluff at the end- for some reason 'Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy' has become the Bughead anthem of my mind, so I absolutely had to do something with it. Let me know if you want more additional fluff scenes, I'm keeping an eye out for where I can fit them into the plot. Or, it's been a while since we've had some smut... hmmmm....
> 
> The book I helped to write is available on amazon now. ('Embers of Mercy', by 'Eden Hawthorne'. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Embers-Mercy-Eden-Hawthorne/dp/1798000369/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1551897533&sr=1-1 ). All proceeds are going to helping underprivileged schoolkids learn how to write books, which is absolutely awesome, so even if you don't like the sound of the synopsis but know someone who might, please share it around. We could get a whole movement going. No pressure ;)
> 
> (Sorry about the shameless plug. Had to be done.)
> 
> Tune in next Wednesday for more adorable Bughead shenanigans and some high-key drama between B and V.   
> Thanks for reading!


	45. Chapter 45

‘I asked Jughead to thank you for me, but I reconsidered, because I wanted to do it myself. So, thank you for what you did. I also wanted you to hear it directly from me that I am done attacking and disavowing the Southside. It's where I'm from, and I should be proud of that. And from now on, I will be. And, like my daughter, I will fight tooth and nail for it.’ 

The young Serpents applaud Alice Cooper, even as the bell rings and they hurriedly exit the room. Fangs stops by Betty with soft eyes. 

‘Cooper. I’m sorry about the way I acted before- I had no idea you were pregnant. But you’re having a Serpent’s kid, so that makes you one of us.’ He pats her on the shoulder and leaves before Betty or Jughead can say a word. 

‘Well. Your mom’s certainly healed that old rift.’ 

‘Yeah, but... Jug, I think there’s something inside her that’s... fractured. Chic might have left, but he’s still in our lives, and I don’t know if there’s ever going to be such a thing as ‘normal’ while he’s still in Riverdale.’ 

Jughead sighs and puts an arm around Betty. ‘We just have to wait and see. Chic might not even bother you any more- let's just hope for the best before he throws the worst at us.’ 

…. 

‘Jughead, thank you for meeting me before school.’ Kevin presses record on the videocamera and takes a seat next to Jughead. 

‘Look, Kev, I know what you're gonna ask.’ You want to start planning all the parties ever. Baby showers. Name reveals. Gender reveals. All the things Betty and I aren’t ready for, or able to afford. Instead, Kevin throws him a curveball. 

‘I'm making a behind-the-scenes documentary following our production of Carrie, The Musical. We're going period, '70s glamour, just like the Sissy Spacek movie and I want you to be our videographer.’ 

Of all the things Jughead was expecting him to say, that was pretty low on the list. He takes a moment to try to figure out how to turn this new idea down. 

‘Uh, Kev, you know I’d love to-’ 

‘But?’ 

‘But I have work. Betty and I have a lot of saving to do before the babies arrive. We have to get ahead with schoolwork, I’m helping her draft her resume-’ 

‘That’s exactly why you should be doing stuff like this!’ Kevin insists. ‘Look, when the kids are a little bit older, you and Betty are gonna be looking for full-time employment, right?’ 

‘Right.’ 

‘So, where do you think will hire you if the only thing you’ve done the last five years is write an unpublished novel and fry burgers? Jughead. You’re gonna want something weird and creative to make you stand out, aren’t you?’ 

‘I mean-’ 

‘You’re gonna want to provide for your family, aren’t you?’ 

Jughead arches a brow, smile sneaking onto his lips. ‘Whoa. Less blatant manipulation needed, Kev. But... Okay, I'm in.’   
…. 

‘So, Chuck Clayton, why did you say yes to being in the musical?’ 

Jughead’s first round of interviews is about as awkward as you’d expect. Interviewing someone who’s seen his girlfriend in her best lingerie? Doubly awkward. 

‘I'm trying to reform my image. And, yeah, maybe it's little counter-intuitive to be playing the villain, but, I mean, somebody's gotta do it... and I wanna do it right.’ Chuck’s smile is nervous. ‘You know, show up, put in the work, be a member of the team. And who knows, maybe- maybe then people will start to change their minds about me.’ 

‘I wouldn’t hold your breath.’ Jughead mutters from behind the camera. He holds his thumb up to indicate the recording has stopped. 

‘Look, Jones. I know you don’t like me. I don’t really like you, either. But... I hope you can see I’m trying to change here. Be the nice guy.’ 

‘A lot of people *try* to change, Chuck. Not everyone can get there.’ Jughead packs up is camera and tilts his head at the athlete. ‘I’ll be keeping an eye on you... maybe you can do it.’ 

…. 

Betty may be over the morning-sickness phase (with a few exceptions), but overall school and searching for a job has kept her much too busy to learn any lines for any part in the play- much to Kevin’s disappointment. All the better, considering the amount of accidents and near-death experiences Cheryl has had while she plays the lead- there's been one-too-many falling sandbags for Betty Cooper’s detective senses. As it is, she’s helping Jughead film the documentary, and Archie building the sets. Jughead’s filming the latter when Archie clears his throat. 

‘Kinda weird, huh? The three of us, working together again?’ 

‘Easy there, Arch.’ Jughead taps the camera. ‘Big Brother's watching.’ 

‘No, I mean, things are strained with the four of us right now, but we're here for Kevin, and to do this play, and I hope we can do it as painless as the possible.’ The redhead’s tone is hopeful. 

Betty puts down the paintbrush she’s using and frowns at Archie. It’s a look Jughead is all-too-familiar with, like when he farts in bed and her nose is under the covers. 

‘Archie, Veronica lied to all of us, you included. She basically told me my whole life is a mistake, Jughead’s a loser, and I have no future. Not to mention, conspiring with her parents against the entire school? I mean... it's fine that you're doing exactly what Tommy Ross would do, which is stand by her, but from where I'm standing?’ Betty shakes her head. ‘Veronica's just as much of a privileged, selfish, spiteful, *mean* girl as the part she's playing.’ 

She doesn’t leave time for a reply, as a scream echoes down the hall from the stage. The three exchange a look and rush to the auditorium, where Cheryl Blossom is stood, shaking, next to a bag of weights that’s cracked the floor next to her. 

…. 

‘Okay Kevin, we’re rolling. What is it you wanna talk about?’ 

‘I have a dark confession to make. After Cheryl's latest brush with death this morning, I found a letter in my locker from someone alleging to be- and I can't believe I'm about to say this- the Black Hood.’ He holds up a piece of paper with colourful letters cut out of magaines and rearranged into odd words. ‘It's a prank. Look at it! Why would the Black Hood, who was shot dead by my dad, be demanding that the role of Carrie be recast?’ 

Jughead frowns. ‘Yeah, it does seem pretty small potatoes for the Black Hood.’ 

Kevin massages his temples. ‘Yeah. Still. Jug, you can't tell anyone about this.’ 

‘But-’ 

‘As official documentarian, you're sworn to secrecy. Also, the show, as they say, must go on.’ 

…. 

‘Whoa, so the Black Hood is not only back, but he’s threatening people again?’ Betty sits up in her bed, after coercing Jughead into spilling the beans. 

‘It’s probably not him. Hell, it’s definitely not him- you were there, Betty. You saw Sheriff Keller shoot him down. This is probably just some asshole who hates Cheryl and wants her to step down. Half the student body can’t stand her.’ 

Betty settles back into his arms once more and breaths in his scent. 

‘I guess you’re right...’ 

‘I mean, why would the Black Hood even want to ruin a high school musical, anyway?’ 

Betty might know the answer, but instead she simply shrugs against her boyfriend and falls asleep. 

For about 20 minutes. Then, something wakes her up- goosebumps down her skin. She opens her eyes, but can’t see anyone in her room- her door is locked with bubble wrap strategically laying all over the floor, but there’s no sign of anyone anywhere. She sits up. 

Then, a sudden movement- the window. Betty stiffens as she sees an eye poking around in the corner of the glass, staring right at her. Fingers are prying up the window itself, frozen as the intruder realises Betty’s awake. 

Before she realises what’s happening, Betty is on her feet, waking Jughead in the process, and has a hold of her father’s baseball bat. She pulls the window the rest of the way up and whacks Chic right in the arm, causing him to loose his grip on Jughead’s ladder and fall- right onto Alice’s rosebushes and curse as the thorns sink into him. 

Jughead is swearing, too- because Alice has definitely heard that- the footsteps echo down the hallway as the concerned mother flicks the lights on in Betty’s room and he has just enough time to roll under Betty’s bed before her eyes can properly adjust to the light. 

‘Betty? What’s going on?’ 

‘Mom, I saw Chic- right outside my window- he was-’ 

‘Don’t be ridiculous. Why would Chic be looking into your room? Where would he even get a ladder from?’ Alice goes over to the window and frowns. ‘Someone’s definitely gone for a dive in my rosebushes, though.’ She yawns. ‘You probably just thought you saw Chic- it was probably a burglar who didn’t realise you’ve stolen your father’s baseball bat.’ 

‘I winged him.’ Betty scoffs as her mother leaves. 

‘I’m sure you did, Betty.’ Alice yawns once more. ‘Lock your window. We’ll report this to Sheriff Keller in the morning. He didn’t get in or anything, did he?’ 

The younger Cooper shakes her head and Alice leaves. 

Betty sits on the bed for a while. ‘Jug? Where did you go?’ 

‘Under here.’ He squirms out and bear-hugs Betty. ‘You okay?’ 

‘I can’t believe she won’t accept it.’ Betty huffs, shaking her head. ‘Chic is Satan. I’ve been saying it all along.’ 

‘He’s also her only son.’ Jughead sighs. ‘Honestly, I can kind of see where she’s- Betty?’ 

She’s run into the bathroom to hunch over the toilet bowl once again. 

‘Damn, I thought you were through with this part.’ 

He chuckles at the middle finger he gets in response. 

.. .. .. .. 

‘No way is this legit.’ Betty looks at the note Kevin gave to her and Jughead to examine. Her boyfriend sighs, 

‘Well, it's a legit threat, but it's definitely not from the real Black Hood. No, this is a classic Phantom of the Opera tactic. Mystery Man sends menacing note demanding a certain diva soprano gets recast or else.’ 

‘Who's to say this letter came from a mystery *man* at all?’ Betty hands the note to Jughead. 

‘That's a good point.’ He smiles. ‘What’re your thoughts behind it?’ 

‘I saw the way Ethel Muggs looked at Cheryl during rehearsals. It’s the way I wanted to look at Ronnie after her seven minutes in heaven with Archie.’ Betty laughs at the pout Jughead replies with. 

‘Oh, come on. I think we can all agree I’ve turned pretty hard off of him.’ 

‘Still.’ Jughead playfully sniffles. She laughs and kisses him. 

‘Come on, grab your camera. We have a Muggs to shoot.’ 

.. .. .. .. 

‘Hey, Ethel, what looks good?’ Betty casually wanders up to the table of food for the cast members, where Ethel is staring dejectedly at her bowl. 

‘Someone's picked out all the M&M's from the trail mix.’ 

‘Ugh, that's terrible.’ (Come on, Betty. How can we subtly get Cheryl into this conversation?) 

‘It's probably Cheryl. I mean, she's always taking things she shouldn't. Like the role of Carrie, from you.’ (Nailed it. 11/10 subtlety.) 

The other girl smiles; clearly uncomfortable. 

‘That's nice of you to say, Betty.’ 

‘For Kevin to have cast Cheryl as Carrie without even letting you audition- would you say you feel angry?’ Ethel tilts her head and Betty can feel the cogs in the larger girl’s brain twitching. 

‘I mean, I was born to play Carrie, so not to be given a shot at it? Yeah, it makes me angry.’ Ethel squints at the frosted window behind Betty. ‘Wait, is Jughead filming us?’ 

Oh, shit. 

‘No.’ Jughead cleverly pokes his head around the corner with the camera, in full view of Ethel. ‘Oh, no, no. No, he's shooting B-roll.’ 

Ethel crosses her arms and raises her voice. 

‘Look, I have no idea what you're trying to get me to admit, but I am not a violent person and for the record, any record, I would never do anything to threaten or harm anybody for my own benefit, ever!’ 

…. 

‘Well, that was a bust.’ Jughead offers Betty the rest of his meatloaf in exchange for her kit-kat. He smirks. ‘I have to say, I liked undercover Betty though.’ 

‘Ugh, don’t remind me.’ She slumps against him. ‘I can’t believe she caught onto us so quickly.’ 

‘Are we already old and out of practice?’ Jughead chuckles. 

‘I guess so. I mean, you have a job and I have three kids inside me, so maybe we are growing up faster than we thought.’ 

Jughead smiles and places a hand over her belly. ‘Do you feel anything yet?’ 

‘Occasionally... something. I can’t tell if it’s just my imagination or not, though.’ Betty smiles. ‘Only 6 more months until we find out what colour their eyes are.’ 

‘Imagine if they’re all identical.’ 

‘Oh god.’ Betty laughs. ‘You’d get them mixed up, constantly.’ 

‘We’d have to get a stamp. For each of them.’ 

‘On their forehead, the first thing every morning.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, some extra fluff sprinkled here and there. The Carrie episode was a hell to adapt, but I hope it doesn't show too much! Also, extra tension boiling over with Chic. Oof. Tune in next week for confrontations with Chic and Veronica, as well as the beginning of a rift between our beautiful Bughead! Wait, did I say rift? I mean SOMETHING THAT BRINGS THEM EVEN CLOSER TOGETHER. YES. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS.
> 
> (And you won't know if I'm being sarcastic or not until next Wednesday ;) )
> 
> As always, please let me know if you enjoyed this story, even if it's 20 years in the future and you think you're a weirdo for liking a show from 2019. It's okay. Thanks for sticking with me for 45 chapters, all of you. ^_^


	46. Chapter 46

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys. I just want to say that there's a bit of a TRIGGER WARNING for this chapter, for attempted sexual assault. I'll summarise what happens in the notes at the end of the chapter, so you won't be missing anything. I will also say (TRIGGER WARNING) before the segment with the offending scene and (TRIGGER WARNING OVER) for the segment afterwards, so you can still read the beginning+end of the chapter if it affects you.

Betty can’t help but turn the lights into varying shades of red, the longer the music plays and the more Veronica sings. It’s impossible not to see the parallels between her and her character. 

'My daddy taught me   
You get nowhere being nice   
So now I'm sharing his advice   
The world according to Chris is   
Better to strike than get struck   
Better to screw than get screwed   
You'd probably think it's bizarre   
But that's the way things are!’ 

Kevin gives her a standing ovation as Veronica ends the song and dance flawlessly. 

‘Okay, Veronica, I am obsessed with everything that just happened.’ 

‘Thank you, it helps to be off-book and in full costume.’ 

Betty chuckles, anger coursing through her. ‘Don't be so modest. You're the literal embodiment of Chris. Never has a role been so perfectly type-cast.’ 

‘Betty-’ Kevin tries to stop her, but Veronica has already heard. 

‘What was that, Betty?’ 

You basically told me I’m ruining my life. You judged my choices. I needed you, and you were a cold-hearted ice bitch. But Betty can’t say that. This is her best friend... right? 

‘I mean, think about it: spoiled rich girl, check. Major daddy issues, check. Bad to the bone, trying to control everyone around her, including her boyfriend and best friend. Check, check, check.’ 

Veronica doesn’t look anything other than hurt as Betty stands up, catching Jughead’s eye as she goes backstage. She expects him to follow, but instead when she feels the hand on her forearm it’s attached to her favourite redhead. 

Well, *former* favourite redhead. 

‘How could you be so mean to her?’ 

‘Archie-’ 

‘No!’ He shakes his head. ‘Betty, you have no idea what's really going on with Veronica. All this intense stuff at home with her family, the pressure she's under... She's trying to do her best under insane circumstances.’ 

What insane circumstances? Betty thinks, biting her lip. Not that anything excuses what Veronica said and how she treated her. 

Betty wrenches her hand from Archie’s grasp. ‘But can you tell me how, please? Help me understand so I can let this go.’ 

He shakes his head. ‘It's not for me to say, Betty. You remember how quickly she forgave you? When the Black Hood made you say all those horrible things? So, really, who here’s playing Chris and who’s really playing the nice girl, backstage?’ 

Archie is called back to the set before Betty can formulate a response, which is good, because she feels like she’s about to cry and laugh at the same time. 

Ugh, hormones.   
…. 

‘V?’ Betty lingers in the doorway of the dressing room. 

‘Betty, if you're here to rip into me again, I agree with what you said back there. If there's anything playing Chris has illuminated, it's that I've been a terrible friend.’ Veronica catches her eye in the mirror for a moment, but glances down. Betty’s heart twists. 

She sighs. ‘I’ve been a bitch to you too. We’re both pretty fucked-up, huh?’ 

Veronica smiles, a laugh rattling through her. ‘Yes. Yes we are. I’m sorry I told you you were making a mistake. It wasn’t my place. If you want to be a mother... that’s the best thing that could possibly happen. Three bouncing baby Betties? Sounds perfect to me.’ Veronica’s smile fades. ‘And about my parent’s plans for the South Side-’ 

‘Ronnie, you don’t have to say anything. Let’s just... Put the past behind us, okay?’ 

The girls hug, and Betty tries to feel good about re-building the bridge between them. But does Veronica really mean it? Will motherhood suit her? 

…. (TRIGGER WARNING) 

Betty is making her way down the stairs when she hears her mother’s teary voice. 

‘Honey, I'm sure you're probably still upset with me, but I still miss you and I am worried about you. I love you, Chic. Please... call me when you can.’ 

‘Mom?’ Betty finds her mother in the kitchen, nursing a bottle of white wine. 'Everything okay?’ 

‘It's your brother.’ Alice Cooper wipes her eyes. ‘He, uh, won't return my calls. Not that I blame him, after what I did. I'm gonna get a class of water- do you want anything?’ 

Betty shakes her head. ‘I’m on my way out. Meeting Jughead after his shift and staying over at his.’ At the warning glare she gets from Alice, she puts her hands on her hips.. ‘Mom. I’m already pregnant. What’s the worst thing that could happen if I spend one night with the father of my future children?’ 

Which I’ve been doing every night for the past two months, anyway. Betty silently adds. 

Alice shrugs. ‘As long as he’s keeping you safe. The Black Hood might be gone, but I don’t like the way Riverdale is nowadays. Too much tension.’ 

‘I’ll be careful, mom. I love you.’ 

‘I love you too, Betty.’ 

Riverdale at night doesn’t scare Betty as much as it could. Maybe it’s the darkness inside her that enjoys it, maybe it’s just the way the rain and the orange street-lights turn the entire town into a wonderland. The welcoming neon sign of Pops looms overhead before Betty’s had enough time to think, so she keeps walking for a little bit. She has a good ten minutes before Jughead’s shift is over. Maybe the park is- 

Before she can finish that thought, a hand covers her mouth and a strong, wiry arm wraps around her middle, pinning her arms to her sides. 

‘Scream, and I’ll gut you.’ 

Chic? Realisation dawns on Betty and whatever scream had been boiling in her throat is cut short by the feeling of something hard against her back. Does everyone in town have a damn switchblade? 

Chic drags her into the empty alleyway behind Pops, and they’re nestled between two of the dumpsters where nobody passing by would ever see them. Shit. Fuck. Betty fights hard to control her breathing. Don’t show fear. 

He presses his nose to her hair and inhales. ‘I’ve missed your scent, Betty. You weren’t very nice when I tried to visit last night.’ He lets his hand from her mouth, and she wonders why before she feels him unzipping her hoodie. 

‘Chic.’ She takes a shaky breath and keeps her voice low. ‘What are you doing?’ 

He scoffs. ‘What does it feel like I’m doing?’ His breath is hot in her ear and she feels like she’s about to vomit. ‘You know, Betty, I’ve always felt an... affinity with you. That’s why I always wanted us to get closer.’ 

He holds her tighter as his hand goes underneath her top and he breaths harder, ‘Oh god, Betty... But you always had that baby-daddy of yours around. Messing us around.’ 

*Us?* 

He kisses her neck and grinds against her as Betty tries to push him away, realising that the hardness pressing into her back isn’t a knife. She wishes it was a knife. 

‘Chic, please! Stop!’ She tries to stamp on his foot but he lifts her up and slams her against the wall. 

‘Come on, Betty. I’ve seen the way you look at me. When I was asleep. Leaving your door unlocked, night after night.... You wanted this. Why are we still pretending?’ 

‘No! You’re sick!’ 

His hands entangle hers in her hoodie sleeves. Cold fingers graze her skin, clawing at places meant only for Jughead as his teeth graze her neck, leaving dark bruises. Soon he’s tearing open her shirt and pinning Betty’s kicking legs apart. She can’t fight him, but she can’t just give up. When she hears a familiar voice behind them she gasps in relief. 

‘Betty?’ 

‘Jughead!’ 

‘Fuck!’ Chic whips them both around. 

Jughead is holding two bags of garbage, which he doesn’t let go of for a moment, as he tries to process the scene in front of him. 

His hoodie- that Betty’s been borrowing since the beginning of their relationship- is on the floor at her feet. 

Betty’s ponytail is undone and tears are rolling down her cheeks. Her shirt is torn down the middle, and he can see the purple of her bra. Fresh bruises on her neck. The zip of her jeans is half-undone. 

Jughead’s heard the expression ‘seeing red’ before, but nothing could prepare him for the pure, unadulterated rage that courses through his veins. 

Before he can blink, Chic is on the ground, being pummelled mercilessly by fists Jughead realises are his own. 

‘Jughead! Jughead, stop!’ Betty- sweet, innocent Betty- is holding his hands back as he struggles to keep hitting Chic. ‘Jughead, look at me.’ 

‘B-Betty?’ He can’t quite bring himself to look down. Chic is still breathing, still trying to cover his face and squirm away. He spits out a tooth and Jughead lets him scamper away- he'll deal with that scumbag later. He focuses on Betty, who’s still shaking and almost half-dressed. Jughead puts his arms around Betty and wraps his hoodie back around her. ‘I’m so sorry, Betts.’ 

Chic's footsteps echo into the distance, which makes Jughead’s blood boil. Coward. Fucking coward. Betty feels his arms tense around her as her hands find his hair and she tries to calm them both down. ‘Jug.’ 

‘Did he-’ Jughead closes his eyes. Betty shakes her head and he lets out a breath he hadn’t realised he was holding. 

‘You stopped him before he could. He was trying, though.’ 

They both take a long, shaky breath. Jughead keeps an arm around Betty as he places the garbage he’d been carrying into the dumpster. Pop lets him off 5 minutes early, seeing the fear in Betty’s eyes and the anger written in every line of Jughead’s face. 

…. (TRIGGER WARNING OVER) 

‘Jug?’ 

‘Yeah, Betty?’ 

‘I can’t sleep.’ 

‘Me neither.’ He turns the bedside light on. On one hand, it illuminates Betty’s face, which is so beautiful he can’t help but kiss her. On the other hand, it illuminates the purple marks on her neck and her breasts, which boils his blood all over again. 

Seeing the anger flooding back into her boyfriend’s face, Betty covers herself. ‘I’m sorry, Jughead.’ She sniffles. ‘I’m so sorry.’ 

‘Betty?’ 

She looks at him, eyes full of tears. He frowns and brushes her hands away from her damaged skin. 

‘Don’t you ever apologise. For anything that scumbag’s done.’ Jughead kisses her once again, relieved when she doesn’t slink back from his touch, which she’s been doing all night, despite his best intentions. ‘I’m not gonna let him touch you again, Betty. If he even looks at you again, I swear I’ll-’ 

‘Jug. No. He’s my brother. As fucked-up as that is, it’s not like I can just avoid him from here on out.’ 

He gapes at her. ‘You’re not gonna tell your mom?’ 

Betty shakes her head. ‘It’ll just come off like I’m accusing Chic for the sake of accusing Chic. Without any solid evidence, I’d just be causing her pain.’ 

‘What the hell, Betty?’ Jughead snaps. ‘You have to tell her. She’d want to know.’ 

‘Can- can we talk about something else, Jug?’ Betty’s eyes flick to his chest, avoiding his gaze. ‘I really need to take my mind off- off of it.’ 

‘I’m sorry you saw me lose it today.’ 

‘It’s okay, Jug. You came back to me.’ 

‘I’ll always come back to you, Betty.’ He kisses her nose. ‘Always.’ 

‘I know.’ She wraps her arms around him. She tenses slightly as his hands skim the skin of her back, gentle, testing her boundaries. ‘It’s okay, Jug.’ 

‘I don’t want to shake you up any more.’ 

‘I know.’ 

‘How- how are the- uh-’ 

Betty smiles. ‘I can feel them moving.’ 

Jughead straightens up instantly. ‘What? You can- they're-’ 

She nods against him, looking up to meet his gaze. ‘They started earlier today. Just like... like a little tickle, I guess. But different.’ 

He isn’t sure what to say, so he says the first thing that comes to mind. 

‘They have fingerprints at this point. And they can get the hiccups.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Summary: Betty finds her mother downstairs, drinking. Chic won't return any of her calls. Betty shrugs it off and goes to meet Jughead after his shift at Pops. Before she can, Chic drags her into the alleyway behind Pops to try to do something despicable to her. Jughead stops him just in time, but his rage makes him beat the shit out of Chic, before Betty convinces him to let Chic get away.
> 
> Notes: Phew! Lots of stuff happening in this chapter. I hope you guys liked it. I've always had this headcannon that Chic is bi and kinda had a thing for Betty because she looks a bit like her actual brother, Chic's ex... good thing Jug got there in time, huh?   
> As always, thanks for reading.


	47. Chapter 47

Of all things, waking up next to Betty has to be Jughead's favourite. Who has time for murders, or gangs, or the mob, when there's an angel right there? 

He wraps his arm around Betty, pulling her closer to him gently. She jolts awake, and the action sends all the memories of the day before through his mind. Chic. Chic's bloodied face. The bruises on Betty's body. Jughead closes his eyes and exhales over her bare shoulder, kissing the exposed skin as their alarms go off. Time for school. 

'You're not getting morning sickness anymore, are you?' Jughead groans, rolling onto his back. Betty turns and frowns at him.

'No, why?'

'Thought we could catch a sick day.' 

Betty grins and climbs on top of him. If they can't take a sick day, the least she can do is make them late.

....

‘Jughead!’ Kevin catches up with Betty and Jughead the in the hallway between classes. ‘The sandbag was an accident and the letter was a prank, right?’ 

‘Seems like it.’ 

‘That's what I thought. But then I found this in my locker.’ He hands a piece of paper with familiar lettering to Jughead. ‘Another letter from the Black Hood.’ 

“THIS IS YOUR LAST WARNING TO REPLACE CHERYL. NEXT TIME, THE SANDBAG WON’T MISS.” 

Oh, shit. 

…. 

‘Okay, so who are we liking for this?’ Jughead and Betty have constructed a small murder-board in the Blue & Gold office. 

‘Ethel might be acting innocent, but she does have motive. And opportunity. As a background character, she blends in the whole time so she could easily sneak around and put these notes where she knows Kevin will find them.’ 

He nods. ‘I’m liking Ethel for this case, too. But what about any other suspects? Chuck was hanging around Kevin’s dressing room earlier. Maybe he wants Cheryl out of the play, for whatever reason?’ 

Betty shakes her head. ‘Even when he was a full-on-asshole, there was never any connection to Cheryl. It makes no sense.’ 

‘What about...’ Jughead hesitates. 

‘Who?’ 

‘Veronica?’ 

‘Jughead!’ 

‘I’m just saying, she might fit her role perfectly, but we both know how she loves to be the centre of attention. It would be the perfect way to win sympathy for her family- playing a misunderstood outcast in front of half the town.’ 

‘She wouldn’t. She’s too preoccupied with... Other stuff.’ 

Jughead groans and crosses several more names off of their list of suspects. With further discussion, they decide it must be Ethel. 

‘But what can we do? We don’t have any proof.’ 

‘We’ll find proof, Betts.’ The bell rings, and he pecks her. ‘But first, lunch.’ 

…. 

Rehearsals take an odd turn as Alice begins performing her role as Mrs White. Her voice is strong and melodious, but Betty can spot the cracks beginning to break through. 

“You're such a fool! Aren't you aware how people deceive? They'll take you and break you And then, they will leave you Carrie, Carrie.. Carrie, You are the love I was betrayed for- my pride and my shame, my Betty...’ Betty’s heart stops as Alice collapses onto her knees, staring at her daughter. ‘We're one and the same. Don't go. Don't go... Don't go.’ 

The final lines of the song are choked out as Alice Cooper breaks down publicly- something she hasn’t done since she was Betty’s age. 

‘Mom?’ 

Alice doesn’t see any of the others in the auditorium, or Jughead’s camera. There’s just her and her daughter. 

‘Don't leave me, Betty. Don't leave me like all the others.’ With several choked sobs, Alice runs into the hallway, with Betty taking off after her. 

‘Mom? I'm not going anywhere.’ She takes her mother’s hand as they sit down outside the auditorium. Alice is well-and-truly blubbering, and it makes Betty forget all about her own trauma. 

‘Everything- everything is crumbling! I-I've lost everyone. No, I haven't lost everyone, I've driven everyone away. I gave my son away when he was born, and then- and then! I just did it again. And your father and I aren't living together, because we're still fighting about some unspoken thing that happened years ago. And- and you and I have never been so frayed!’ 

Before Betty can say anything in reply, Alice takes off once more, out of the school doors and probably back to her house, where it's safe and there are no prying eyes... 

‘Betty?’ Jughead appears by her side, almost immediately. The red light is off on his camera. 

She sighs. 

'My mom's always been a woman on the verge, but this- I have to do something to help her, Jughead. Something to make her feel less alone and abandoned.’ 

‘Okay. Like what?’ 

‘I don’t know.’ Betty thinks hard. Oh. ‘...I might have an idea, actually. It’s a long-shot, though.’ 

‘After what I just saw in there, your mom needs whatever shots you can take.’ Jughead blinks. ‘Sorry, that came out wrong.’ 

Betty stands up and kisses him on the cheek. ‘I have to go. Thanks, Jug. I love you!’ 

She’s out of earshot before he can yell a reply. 

…. 

Betty and Alice silently pick at their dinners, tension filling the air. Betty just hopes her phone call worked. 

‘Oh, who are we kidding?’ Alice yells, picking up both their plates. ‘It's opening night! We're too nervous to eat, anyway.’ 

As her mother walks over to the sink, the front door quietly opens and closes. Betty’s heart stops before she realises that yes, her phone call did work. 

Her father stands in the kitchen now, holding two bouquets- one of which he hands to Betty. Alice turns around and jumps when she sees her husband, holding out such a tentative offering. 

‘Hal.’ 

‘Alice.’ 

Her gaze flickers to the flowers in his hands. 

‘I'm allergic to peonies. But how would you know that? We've only been married for decades.’ 

‘I'd really like to come back home, Alice. If you'll have me.’ 

Alice looks at the peonies and sighs as Hal gives them to Betty and instead offers his hand. 

‘If we do this, Hal, there can't be any more secrets between us... There's something that you should know about Chic.’ 

Hal holds up his hand and shakes his head. ‘I already know. I don’t care.’ 

‘You don’t care that he’s not your son?’ Alice blinks tears out of her eyes. Hal doesn't miss a beat.

‘To be honest, I always suspected that Chic wasn't mine. I don't care, Alice.' His voice breaks. 'I want to come home. Our secrets can't hurt us anymore... But we can be together again.’ 

Betty smiles as the doorbell rings and Jughead enters, surprised to see Betty’s father kissing Alice, but quickly putting two and two together. He kisses Betty on the cheek. 

‘Everything going okay?’ 

‘Better than okay, Jug.’ Betty smiles, as the couples file out of the house and drive to Riverdale high. 

....

While Betty coordinates with Kevin, Jughead can’t help but nose around the dressing rooms with his camera recording. The disarray of the various rooms and people is intoxicating- Midge Klump and Fangs Fogarty yell at each other, then at him, and Veronica and Archie make out on a make-up stool ‘for luck’. 

Eventually, he finds Ethel’s dressing room. He can’t help himself- even with Cheryl’s role re-cast, he needs answers. 

‘Hey, Ethel?’ He knocks on the door, wich creaks open. ‘I'm doing final interviews. Ethel!’ 

He tentatively steps into the room- empty. He’s about to leave when he notices the bin. Is that? - 

Yes. Yes it is. 

Bending down to pick up the magazine-clippings (with conveniently cut-out letters), he sighs. His mind fills in the missing letters. B-L-A-C-K H-O-O-D. His voice is low as he mumbles to the camera, half-amused.

‘What QED, folks, it was Ethel.’ 

'What was?’ Says Ethel, appearing in the doorway. 

‘Uh, just some magazines.’ Jughead stands up. Ethel pales.

‘Okay, I know what you're thinking, but you're wrong. Those were for my vision board.’ 

‘It's okay.’ Jughead keeps his voice soft, welcoming. ‘You can tell me.’ 

Ethel spots the blinking red light on his camera, and her expression instantly hardens. 

‘Get out of my dressing room, Jughead!’ 

He’s all-but shoved out of her room before the door slams shut behind him. He half-jokes for the camera: 

‘Sounds like a guilty conscience to me.’ 

…. 

Several doors down, the main cast is doing their final vocal-warm-ups, with Betty ‘supervising’. 

They chant in various pitches and harmonies: ‘What a to-do to die today at a minute or two till two. A thing distinctly hard to say, but harder still to do.’ 

They all laugh, before Veronica smiles at Chuck, who struggles to meet her gaze. 

‘Let me speak for the whole gang when I say that your behaviour throughout rehearsals has been nothing short of that of a proper Victorian gentleman.’ 

‘Um, what does that mean?’ 

‘Your pariahship is officially over.’ 

Chuck smiles brilliantly, but before anything more can be said, a new figure darkens the doorway. 

‘Hey, Betty.’ 

‘Chic.’ Betty’s blood runs cold as her hand goes to where several layers of make-up only just cover the bruises on her neck. ‘You made it.’ 

Chic's face is heavily made-up, but he can’t hide the underlying damage to his skin- two blackened eyes and a heavy cut to his lip. Still, he has the nerve to *smile*. She feels sick. 

He steps forward, invading her space slightly- nobody seems to notice, all caught up in getting ready for their performances. She can smell alcohol on Chic’s breath, his pupils dark- something unhinged dancing behind his eyes. He reaches for the hand on her neck, pulling it up to his face, and kissing it. He winks. 

‘Of course, I wouldn't miss this for the world.’ 

Jughead and Kevin appear in the doorway. ‘Five minutes to places, people.’ 

Jughead sees Chic and his expression instantly hardens. Betty is surprised his hands don’t snap the camera as they turn into fists. He puts himself between his girlfriend and her brother. Betty hugs his waist, still sat in her chair. Her boyfriend is tense; the muscle in his neck twitching and hands holding her to him a little too tightly. She can tell Jughead is trying his hardest not to pummel Chic out of the room. 

‘You should get back to your seat, Chic.’ Betty offers, not looking him in the eye. ‘You're not really allowed to be backstage.’ Or under my shirt. Or touching my skin. 

She half-expects there to be a big scene, for Jughead to snap once more, but the silence that surrounds the three of them for a moment is cold and precise, like an ice pick before it delivers a deadly blow. 

‘No problem.’ Chic smiles at Jughead, one tooth missing. ‘Break a leg, sis.’ 

‘Are you okay?’ Jughead whispers, as everyone begins to file out of the room. 

‘Not really, but I'll be fine.’ Betty takes a deep breath to steady herself. She flashes a grin at Jughead. ‘Come on. The show is about to start.’ 

…. 

Alice is every bit the strong Christian Mother as the curtain raises and her first song of the evening begins. 

It’s just a shame it has to be her last. 

‘Maybe I do things that I can't explain, but my feelings for her never change... You are still my precious one. Can you forgive what I've done? ...All right, Carrietta, it's time to come out of your closet!’ 

The curtains behind Alice rise, revealing Midge Klump. 

Jughead has to squint for a moment before his brain clues him into what’s wrong. 

‘I don't think that's part of the show.’ 

Cheryl realises it too. ‘Oh my God! Somebody should help her. For God's sake, help her!’ 

Midge Klump’s body is pinned to the set with several bloodied knives, with bold and bloody letters all around her: 

‘I AM BACK FROM THE DEAD ALL THOSE WHO ESCAPED ME BEFORE WILL DIE.- B.H.’ 

B.H. 

Black Hood. 

Jughead’s blood runs cold as suddenly the auditorium is a flood of screaming people trying to get out. He spots Betty next to the stage begins to fight the crowd to move forward, but an elbow to the face turns his whole world black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! Sorry I didn't update last week! Life, for once, is more drama than Riverdale at the moment. Fun, fun FUN. I tried to add in a few bits of fluff where this chapter would allow it. Also, thank you so much for 13,000 views! Every single one takes the weight from my soul.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed, thanks for reading. Stay tuned next week for Chic to get his comeuppance ;) .


	48. Chapter 48

The Angel of Death has once more come to Riverdale. Midge Klump's gruesome murder has gutted the entire town... Yet, the hardship of grief has also brought the townsfolk together. Sheriff Keller even offers Jughead coffee before the interview begins, as though he doesn’t believe Serpents are the scum of the Earth. 

If anything, the sheriff looks... tired. Older than he is.

‘So, you were shooting a documentary?’ 

‘Yeah.’ Jughead clears his throat. It feels weird to not be a suspect. ‘It was more of a behind-the-scenes sort of thing... Look, Sheriff, you have my footage, okay? All of it's right there. Everything was completely fine until those letters started to show up.’ 

‘Letters?’ 

‘The threats, to recast Cheryl or whatever.’ 

He recounts the story of finding evidence in Ethel’s dressing room, of seeing Chic backstage. He leaves out Chic’s crimes of the day before, only because of Betty’s words echoing through his mind. 

*Please, Jug. I don’t want anyone to know.*

He shakes his head as Keller lets him go. Some things about Betty Cooper will never make sense to him. 

…. 

The temperature feels a little bit cooler than usual for Riverdale, since Midge's murder. Jughead holds the door to Pops open for Betty. She smiles and waves to Veronica. 

As usual, life is calmed somewhat by burgers, milkshakes, and Betty. Archie and Veronica are just there for decoration and friendly advice, really. 

‘I have a theory.’ He munches on a french fry. ‘It's a copycat killer... And who coincidentally showed up in Riverdale just after Mr. Svenson was killed? And has been giving off creepy vibes ever since?’ 

Betty’s eyes widen. ‘Chic?’ 

‘He has a temper, too.’ 

A hidden discussion passes between him and Betty. 

*I want to kill him for what he did to you.*

*Not right now, Jughead. We have too much to prepare for.*

*That’s exactly why I should kill him.*

Betty notices Veronica’s sharp eyes on them and quickly clears her throat. 

‘Chic is here because I went to the hostel to get him. And, yes, he's weird, but he didn't know Midge. So, moving on...’ 

‘What if Mr.Svenson wasn't the Black Hood?’ Archie muses. Betty gapes at him.

‘Archie, we were there when he died.’ 

‘I know. But just because he was wearing a hood that night, it doesn't necessarily mean he's the same guy who shot my dad- and now killed Midge.’ 

Betty frowns. 

‘Svenson forced me to bury you alive. He cut off his own finger and sent it to me.’ 

Jughead crosses his arms, mind churning with theories.

‘Maybe the real Black Hood cut it off because he was working with Svenson.’ 

It’s Veronica’s turn to be confused. ‘And Svenson would've let himself be mutilated?’ 

Archie shakes his head in frustration. 

‘Look, all I'm trying to say, is the real Black Hood could still be alive. I looked into the Black Hood's eyes... it wasn't Mr Svenson.’   
They're all silent for a long moment. Betty stares at the order of fries she's sharing with Jughead, her appetite suddenly gone.

Veronica sighs and sips her milkshake. ‘Why can’t we ever just talk about normal things? Betty, how’s impending motherhood treating you?’ 

The blonde grins, Jughead wrapping an arm around her. ‘I’m looking forward to getting to meet the kids. It’s gonna be hard, but amazing.’ 

‘Well, Archie and I are here for you, as loyal godparents.’ Veronica winks, and everyone laughs. 

Murder is easy to forget, when you’re having triplets. Yet, Jughead can’t turn off the part of himself that’s always sleuthing, and when Archie and Veronica leave he can’t stop himself from turning to his girlfriend and shattering the illusion of normalcy once more. 

‘Betty, how do we know that Chic had nothing to do with Midge? This is the same guy that killed someone in your kitchen using a lamp. The same guy that-’ He chokes up. Betty places a gentle hand on his cheek.

‘I know what he tried to do, Jug. I was there.’ She takes a deep breath. ‘And, well, Chic does everything for a reason. Anger. Lust. To protect my mom. But he didn't even know Midge. What motive would he have to kill her?’ 

‘I don't know. But he does have a violent past and associates with equally violent people.’ Jughead kisses the back of her hand. ‘I just want us to be safe, Betty. For once.’ 

‘I know, Jug. But we can’t make this go away.’ 

‘We could always go away.’ He doesn’t meet her eyes, staring at the table as he continues, ‘Somewhere Chic can’t even spell. We could start over, look after the kids in a town where the Jones name isn’t a curse and the Cooper name isn’t perfection. We could build our own reputation, rather than have it thrown at us.’ 

She shakes her head. ‘It sounds nice, really it does... But we have roots here, Jughead. I can’t leave my mom to deal with my dad and Chic. Even she doesn’t know who she’ll choose, if it comes to that.’ 

‘Just promise me that you’ll think about it, Betty. If not for yourself, then for me. For the kids.’ Jughead’s hand is on her belly once more, feeling the curve that’s already noticeable underneath her baggy jumper. 

Jughead’s eyes are so blue that Betty finds herself drowning in them. His hand is so soft and gentle as it touches her, voice like vanilla and eyes waiting intently for her reply. She can’t help herself from closing the distance between their lips before finally whispering, 

‘I’ll think about it, Jughead.’ 

....

It’s early when the Coopers (and Jughead) pause above their cereal, a knock at the door. 

‘Sheriff. What can I do for you?’ Alice tries to seem charming, though Keller is the last man she wants to talk to at any given point in time. 

‘Hey, Alice.’ The oblivious sheriff smiles. ‘I'm talking to everyone who was at Riverdale High that night of the musical, but I haven't had a chance to talk to your son yet... Chic? A few people saw him backstage before the show.’ 

Hal comes up behind Alice and places a hand on her shoulder. 

‘Chic doesn't live here anymore, Tom. But we can bring him down tomorrow, if that's okay?’ 

‘Sure.Thanks, Hal. Thanks, Alice. Betty. You guys have a good evening.’ Whether the sheriff is trying to make a point by leaving out Jughead is unclear, but it leaves an uneasy feeling in the air. 

Alice whirls around to glare at Hal. 

‘What are you doing, throwing Chic under the bus like that?’   
Hal raises an eyebrow.

‘What are you worried he'll say?’ 

Alice isn’t sure how to respond to that, so Betty has to but in. 

‘Mom's just overprotective of Chic. That's all.’ 

‘Chic’s a... Complicated person.’ Jughead adds, one arm around Betty. ‘But he’s family.’ 

Betty blushes at the implications of that, even as the family settles down to breakfast once more. Jughead considers them a family? All of them? Even Chic? She muses to herself as Jughead fries her an extra-salty banana (cravings are fun). She’s considered him family for far longer than they’ve been tied together by three human souls. How long has he felt the same? 

Family is a far deeper connection than a simple ‘I love you.’ 

‘Betty?’ Her father snaps into her thoughts. 

‘Hmmm?’ 

‘Can I talk to you for a moment? In private?’ 

‘Uh, sure.’ Betty swallows down suspicions she isn’t ready to admit or even voice, before following Hal to the basement. 

‘I know I haven’t been the most supportive father in the past.’ He sighs. ‘But, I’ve learned from how I dealt with Polly. I want to support you through your pregnancy, even if I don’t agree with you. I don’t want to ruin our relationship- if anything, I want us to be better. We must be better.’ He smiles at her in a way Betty isn’t sure her father has ever smiled. It chills her on some level, but she smiles back. 

‘I’m glad you feel that way, dad. I can’t wait for you to meet the babies.’ 

Hal’s face drops and his eyes widen. 

‘Babies? As in- twins?’ 

Oh, shit. 

Somewhere between her father moving out and the murder of Midge Klump, Betty remembers she never actually told her father about the hidden faces on her first scan. 

‘Triplets, actually.’ She chuckles, eyes flickering to the door. Will this change how her father thinks about her? 

‘Wow, Betty, that’s- wow.’ Hal seems to contemplate something, before shaking his head. ‘Either way, I wanted to you have something.’ He turns around and rummages through a large box Betty’s never looked through before. When he turns around, he’s holding a large photo album, with half the pages yellowed and crumbling, and the other half white and crisp. 

‘Every Cooper has had their photo in this at some point or another. Even back when we were Blossoms.’ Hal hands Betty the album, and she opens it to a page with fine handwriting and extremely brown photos. The first page has a strange family tree that goes back almost 200 years, and Betty gasps at the sudden weight of the book in her hands. 

‘Thanks, dad. This is... This is incredible.’ 

Hal flips to a blank page, across from where Betty and Polly’s photos are. 

‘Room for three more.’ 

…. 

‘Hey, Mom?’ Betty asks later, when Jughead and Hal have both left for work. ‘Don't get mad at what I'm about to ask you, okay?’ 

Alice cocks her head to one side and pauses the television. 

‘Do you think maybe Chic should leave town? Like, immediately?’ 

‘Why on Earth for? He's giving a statement, Elizabeth.’ 

‘What if Sheriff Keller presses Chic and he starts blubbering and blabbing about other bad things that he's done?’ 

And what if he tries to come near me again and I can’t stop Jughead from doing something about it? She adds silently, biting her lip.

Alice rolls her eyes. 

‘If Chic leaves town, then he looks guilty, and they'll hunt him down like a mad dog. So, yes, it's a risk, but relax, Betty. I'm gonna coach him myself.’ 

‘You’re gonna coach Chic in how to lie to the cops?’   
Alice snorts.

‘Not lie, Betty. Just... embellish the truth. He told me he didn’t do anything that night. He's hardly been out of the house in weeks.’ 

Apart from try to rape me. Betty inwardly shudders, but instead turns the television back on. ‘I hope you’re right, mom.’ 

…. 

It’s nice to be out of the house and walking along the street with Jughead. Walking helps the increasing pain of having three humans inside her fighting for space. Plus, Jughead smiles at her every time she turns the corner and sees him. 

Today, however, Betty has more on her mind than just small talk and kisses. 

‘Maybe we should look into Chic.’ 

Jughead arches an eyebrow. 

‘You figured out a motive?’ 

‘Not yet.’ She purses her lips. ‘But there is something that could connect him to Mr.Svenson... It's tenuous, but they both spent time at the Sisters of Quiet Mercy.’ 

Jughead’s eyes widen. It fits. It fits with a theory he hadn’t given any credence because- well, because of who it came from. 

‘Archie's theory about there being multiple Black Hoods... They could be in cahoots.’ 

Betty nods. ‘It's a long shot. Mr.Svenson's older than Chic, but he worked there as a groundskeeper for years and-’ 

‘They might have crossed paths.’ 

‘Yeah.’ 

Jughead shrugs, ‘It's worth a visit.’ He can’t quite stop himself from adding, ‘How are you feeling about Chic, anyway? I know I haven’t been... The best about it. Are you okay?’ 

‘I’m just nervous. All the time, Jug.’ Betty looks at the floor until he gives her hand a reassuring squeeze. ‘I never thought he’d...’ She can’t finish her sentence. 

‘And he won’t.’ Jughead can’t stop his arm from wrapping around Betty, as school comes into view. ‘Not while I’m here.’ 

‘You can’t protect me 24/7, Jug.’ 

‘I can try.’ 

‘I need to learn how to defend myself.’ 

Jughead sighs, spotting a park bench. ‘Let’s sit.’ 

She places both of her legs over his and he massages the muscles automatically- random cramps have been keeping her up at night as Betty’s fourth month of pregnancy draws to a close. His mind swims with thoughts on how to protect their family. 

‘I could teach you some things.’ 

‘What do you know about self-defence, Jug?’ 

‘I’m a Serpent.’ 

‘Didn’t they beat the shit out of you when you joined?’ 

‘That was kind of the point-’ 

‘And Penny?’ 

‘She caught me by surprise!’ Jughead chuckles at the look he gets from Betty. ‘Look, Chic isn’t a big bad gang member. He isn’t the type to carry a weapon. He’s just a skinny runt who preys on people he thinks are weak- and you, Betty Cooper, are not weak.’ 

‘I feel like it right now.’ 

His heart drops as he pulls her up, wrapping his arms around her. 

‘Make me let go of you.’ 

‘What?’ 

‘I’m Chic. You don’t want me to hold you like this.’ 

She weakly stamps at his feet, not wanting to hurt him. 

‘Betty, my boots are steel-toed. Stamp harder.’ 

She throws all her weight- and maybe the weight of the triplets, too- into her feet, ducking below Jugheads grasp as she whirls around before he’s quite sure what happened. Mainly because he lied about having steel-toed boots and he’s pretty sure she just broke something. He smiles through the pain. 

‘Better. We’ll work on it.’   
.... 

After school, the two make the long bus ride to the Sisters of Quiet Mercy. Betty’s hand clutches her belly, and Jughead’s arm wraps around her again- it spends more time on her shoulder than anywhere else, since Chic’s attack. Sister Woodhouse notices the bump of Betty’s belly as the two walk into the reception. 

‘So, we meet again, Miss Cooper.’   
Betty skips the pleasantries.

‘We need information about my brother, Charles Smith. Do you happen to know if Charles' time here overlapped with Mr. Svenson's? He was your groundskeeper.’ 

The nun pales.

‘I'm well aware of who Mr. Svenson was and... what he became.’ 

‘Could we check Charles' files just to see if the dates match?’ Jughead offers. She scoffs. 

‘I'm sure you have a court order demanding such a request?’ 

‘No, we don't.’ Betty holds her head high under the nun’s fiery judgement. ‘But I am cousins with Cheryl Blossom, who recently escaped your secret, gay re-education camp... So, unless you cooperate, we'll be back. With a court order, and the FBI, to shut you down.’ 

Sister Woodhouse huffs and shows them to a filing room with a large table. Soon the three of them are hunched over the records, with Jughead taking photos as they go and fitting the piece together aloud. 

‘Apparently, Charles ran away nine years ago. That means he would've overlapped with Svenson for two years, at least.’ 

Betty spots the photo attached to Chic’s file and frowns. 

‘Oh, wait. Uh, Sister, are you sure this is my brother's file?’ 

‘Oh yes, dear. Charles Smith. That's his photo.’ 

The photo shows a boy with dark hair and rounded features. Soft eyes and a hopeful smile. 

The exact opposite of Chic. 

‘That is not my brother, Sister Woodhouse.’ 

‘It most certainly is.’ The nun frowns right back at Betty. ‘I never forget my children. Besides, you can see the family resemblance- plain as day.’ 

The nun isn’t looking at Betty as she says this. Her eyes focus on Jughead as, all of a sudden, the couple put two-and-two together. 

‘We have to get back home. Now.’ 

…. 

‘Some detectives we are.’ Jughead slams the door of the Cooper home behind them. 

‘We should have gone to the Sisters of Quiet Mercy weeks ago and found this out.’ 

‘Found out what, Betty?’ Says Chic, stepping into the kitchen, along with Alice. 

‘What-’ Betty has to take a deep breath to keep calm. ‘What's he doing here, Mom?’ 

‘I took Chic down to the Sheriff's station to give his statement- and I invited him back for dinner.’ 

‘Great, except he's not Chic.’ 

Chic doesn’t flinch under his not-sister's gaze. 

‘Okay, enough with the melodrama, Betty.-’ 

‘He's not!’ 

‘Betty-’ 

‘Shut the hell up, imposter!’ Jughead snaps, taking a step in front of Betty and trying to hide his rage. Betty puts a hand on his shoulder. *It’s okay.* 

‘Jughead and I paid a visit to the Sisters of Quiet Mercy.’ She holds the photo of the dark-haired boy up for her mother to see, and Chic pales. ‘That is your real son, Mom. Not this con artist.’ 

‘I-’ Alice’s face drops. ‘I don't understand.’ 

Chic quickly steps in between Betty and his not-mother, an earnest mask on his face. 

‘I do. Betty's been out to get me from the start! She never wanted a brother!’ 

‘You're not my brother!’ Betty spits, finally erupting and before she can stop herself, she’s screaming at Chic: 

‘And it’s a fucking good thing, too! What kind of a brother does this to his sister?’ She rips off her scarf so that the still-fading bruise is visible. Jughead winces at the sight of it. ‘You’re sick, and disgusting, and I want to know what you did to my *real* brother!’ 

‘Is- is that true, Chic?’ Alice gasps, picking up the photograph Betty slammed onto the kitchen counter. ‘What's this picture? What- what does it all mean?’ 

‘That's what we're trying to figure out, Mrs.Cooper.’ Jughead advances on Chic. ‘The truth.’ 

The lithe blond looks down at the kitchen counter and sees a knife on the chopping board. 

‘Chic, no!’ Alice cries out, but it’s too late- Chic's hand has already found the handle and swung at Jughead, who ducks just in time. 

His own switchblade is out in a flash and his voice is low, taunting. ‘How’s your tooth?’ 

‘How’s your slut's neck?’ Chic retorts, swinging again and failing. 

‘Better than your head.’ Jughead says, just as Betty konks Chic on the head with a frying pan. The imposter topples to the ground, a confused expression on his face before he passes out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god. It's been so long since I've updated- sorry about that! I'll be posting daily until next Sunday to make up for things. Finals killed me. The Bughead scenes in the last few episodes of season 3 have brought me back, though. I can't wait until we're there!
> 
> So yeah, fun things are happening. We think we know who Charles' real dad was. We have an imposter in the house, and some classic Bughead sleuthing to boot. Tune in tomorrow for the most badass Jughead scene I have ever written. You'll love it. Or hate it. Either way, it's a new chapter! WOOOOOO!
> 
> Hope you're enjoying things. Thanks for sticking with me. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	49. Chapter 49

Chic is out just long enough for Alice and Jughead to carry him to the basement and tie him to a chair. It’s all very surreal as Betty watches, and her stomach churns. 

‘What?’ Chic whimpers through bleary eyes as he comes to. ‘What's going on? Mom, why are you-’ 

‘Stop.’ Betty speaks. ‘No more play-acting. It's just time for answers now. The truth.’ 

Jughead sticks his chin out, crossing his arms. ‘You can start by telling us your real name.’ 

‘I’m Chic!' He stares at Alice, pleading, 'Mom, untie me! Please! I'm scared!’ Chic sobs, and it’s all very convincing, until Betty steps forward and he glares at her with the Devil’s fire in his eyes. 

‘You must've known him. My brother. When my mom and I went to the hostel and asked for Charles Smith, they sent us to your room. She leans in close so that Chic can see Jughead’s knife in her hands. ‘So, why were you impersonating him?’ 

He smiles at her, almost unafraid. ‘I never said I was Charles Smith, I said I was Chic.’ 

‘Then where's Charles? How did you know him?’ 

‘We met out on the streets, then moved into that flop house. He told me about you guys. The Coopers. This perfect family in Riverdale, who gave him up for adoption. Who didn't want him, never even looked for him... One day, he knocked, and you answered, Alice. You practically slammed the door on his face, you said, "We're not interested."’ 

Alice’s face is a strange mixture of blank and every type of sadness imaginable. 

‘You remember it, don't you?’ Chic smirks. ‘Charles went on a bender that night. He OD'd on jingle-jangle.’ 

Alice suddenly cries out- a strangled sound that echoes up the stairs as she runs out of the basement and into the living room. 

‘Can you watch him?’ Betty gives Jughead the blade and chases her mother. ‘Mom?’ 

Alice Cooper is sat on the couch, sobbing over the photograph of her true son. She doesn’t look up as she chokes out, 

‘He's telling the truth. There was a boy, and I turned him away. This- This boy.’ She closes her eyes and convulses with sobs. ‘H-he knocked on the door, and-and I asked him to leave. It was me, Betty I'm responsible for my own son's death!’ 

‘No-’ 

‘I killed my son!’ Alice screams, slamming the photo onto the table.

‘Mom! We don't know who that is in the basement, or what he wants.’ Betty wraps an arm around her mother, who collapses against her chest. Alice Cooper is not a weak woman. Seeing her broken is far more terrifying than seeing her angry. 

‘Revenge.' She hiccups after a moment. 'He's seeking revenge. I gave my son away, and then he came to me, and I turned him away.’ She buries her head in Betty’s neck. ‘This demands biblical punishment.’ 

Betty pulls away, keeping her hands on her mother’s shoulders. 

‘Mom, the only one who's guilty here is him!’ 

Suddenly, something inside of Alice snaps. She stops crying and stands up, putting on her coat- the leather jacket she wears whenever they go to the South Side. Serpent skin.

‘Stay here, Betty. You watch him. I'll be back.’ 

‘Back? Mom, where are you going? What if Dad comes home?’  
Alice is already gone. 

‘Where’d your mom go?’ Jughead asks, when Betty comes back downstairs. 

‘God knows.’ Betty fixes Chic with a stare that could kill. ‘But we’re not done here yet, are we?’ 

‘Oh, what, Betty?’ Chic chuckles, nose bloody. Judging by the red on Jughead’s knuckles, he must have said something when she was out of the room. ‘You’re gonna hurt me? Get back at your naughty brother for touching you? Is that it?’ 

‘You son of a-’ Jughead growls, lunging forward; only to be stopped by Betty's gentle hand on his chest.

‘It’s okay, Jug. I’ve got this.’ Betty smiles at her boyfriend, before leaning into Chic and whispering something inaudible into his ear. The skinny boy looks harrowed for a moment, before he shakes it off and smirks. Betty looks once more at Jughead before excusing herself upstairs. 

Chic grins at him. ‘You’re lucky. You got a bad bitch in a good girl’s jumper.’ 

Betty hears the punch land from the kitchen, as she sighs and picks up Chic’s knife from the floor. She stares at her reflection, contorted in the blade into something unrecognisable. She jumps as her phone starts ringing- her least-favourite tune. 

‘LOLLIPOP, LOLLIPOP, OH LOLLY-LOLLY-' 

‘-Hello, Betty. Did you miss me?’ 

That’s a deep, dark voice. One she wishes belonged to a dead man. 

The Black Hood. 

‘Admit it, Betty. Deep down, you knew it wasn't over.’ 

‘You killed Midge.’ 

‘Of course.’ 

‘And you set up Mr.Svenson?’ 

‘Very, very good, Betty.’ 

She hates the pleasure in his voice. Hates that he hasn’t forgotten about her. Hates that he’s back from the dead. 

‘And yet, for all I've taught you, you've been making amateur mistakes. Letting an enemy, a sinner into your house.’ She frowns. How could he possibly know that? 

‘You're talking about Chic.’ 

‘Yes. A man who lived in a den of sinners, who kills as easily as he did in your house. That man has murdered before.’ The line goes dead before Betty can ask who, or how he could know such a thing. 

It’s lucky, really, because Jughead is behind her, brows knitted tightly together. 

‘Was that your mom?’ 

*No, it’s just the man who’s been turning Riverdale into his own personal circus. Who broke us up the first time. Who probably wants you dead.* Betty sighs and puts her phone back in her pocket. 

‘No, it's my Dad. We need to go back there, Jug. To where I first found Chic. I don't think he's telling the truth about what happened to my brother.’ *And neither does the Black Hood.* Betty shrugs off a shudder before noticing Jughead properly. 

‘Your hands!’ 

The Serpent looks down at his knuckles, bruised and splattered with blood. Betty takes them in her hands and walks him over to the sink. 

‘I’m sorry, Betty.’ Jughead takes a deep breath, squeezing his eyes shut. ‘I just- I keep thinking about what he did- what he was going to do- and I can’t control myself.’ 

Betty focuses on washing his hands, touch gentle as he winces. ‘You’ve cut yourself.’ 

‘Say what you like about that bastard, he has the sharpest cheekbones this side of Sweetwater River.’ He sighs as the tap water turns warm. ‘You really think he’s lying about that? Your brother? I mean, I wouldn’t put it past him, but... Man, that’s fucked-up.’ 

‘It’s worth looking into, Jug. The way my mom was tonight... We need to make sure that what Chic’s telling us and what actually happened are one and the same.’ 

Betty dries his hands and kisses the bruises on his knuckles. He takes her chin and kisses her softly. ‘You're not getting too stressed, are you?’ He flushes as his hands wrap around her waist. ‘I mean, I know it’s impossible not to be, but just remember what the doctor said-’ 

‘Jug.’ Betty pecks him, ‘I’m fine. The babies are fine. This has to blow over soon, so it will.’ 

....

‘Forty dollars a night for a single bed, twenty for a bunk.’ The ‘flop-house’ receptionist pops her gum bubble as Betty clings to Jughead, trying to sell them as a young, reckless couple- it's not hard. 

‘We'll take a single- on the second floor, if you have any.’ Jughead smiles and gives Betty a deep kiss. She has to fight a moan at the intensity. The receptionist raises an eyebrow and rolls her eyes when she thinks the couple isn't looking.

‘There you are.’ 

All the way up the stairs and down the hallway to Chic’s old room, whenever anyone passes them, Jughead pins Betty up against the wall and envelops her in a feverish kiss. 

‘Gotta keep from blowing our cover.’ He whispers mischievously in her ear. 

‘You really want to use that room we just bought?’ 

No-one is in the hall, but he stops and pins her against the wall anyway, lips hot against her ear: 

‘Betty, if I’m going to make love to you, it’ll be in a huge room at the Five Seasons, on a bed of roses. Not in a cheap motel.’ He kisses her sweet spot just below her ear, and she melts against him until someone walks past and drunkenly yells at them to get a room. 

It’s 11 AM, but they take his point. Jughead leads them further into the maze of rooms, and to where Chic’s empty room still sits, dormant. 

Betty knocks on the door across the hall, and after a series of angry Spanish yells, a sweet-looking woman in her 30s comes to the door. Her smile is strained. Betty’s is the same. 

‘We won't take much of your time, ma'am. My brother, Charles Smith, I think he used to live next to you in Room 237...’ She holds up the photo of her real brother. ‘Does he look familiar to you?’ 

‘Ah, yes.’ The woman’s eyes light up. ‘He was the nice one. Always said buenos dias. Always carried my groceries. May he rest in peace.’ She crosses herself, and Betty feels queasy. 

‘Oh, my God-’ 

Jughead steps in. 

‘No, hold on. Did he have a drug problem? With jingle-jangle?’ 

The woman frowns. 

‘I don't know about any drugs, but they fought all the time, those two. Nasty fights. It was scary. And then, one day, there was only one.' Her eyes flicker between Betty and Jughead. '-The bad one. Later, when I took my trash out, I saw bloody sheets and pillows in the dumpster.’ 

Someone yells in Spanish behind her, and the woman closes her door before Betty or Jughead can stop her. 

‘Chic...’ Betty doesn’t finish her sentence- partially because she can’t bring herself to, partly because a passing man pinches her butt and gives her a wink. She flinches reflexively, and Jughead growls, about to lunge for the man’s back, but she stops him. 

‘It’s not worth it.’ Betty sighs as Jughead’s arm wraps around her like a security blanket. ‘We have bigger problems, Jug.’ 

.... 

‘We know you murdered my brother.’ 

Betty’s darkness is showing, but Chic can only roll his eyes in response. 

‘Come on, are you guys serious?’ 

‘Your neighbour heard you fighting. She saw the blood. Lots of it. Admit what you did, Chic!’ She feels like she’s about to punch him, but Betty Cooper has never hit anybody in her life- is this her? Is this pregnancy hormones, or her darkness? Or is it just what Chic brings out in her- if that’s even an excuse? 

It’s definitely Chic, she decides, as the man tied to the chair smirks up at her. 

‘I admit your brother was a junkie.’ 

It’s not Betty who hits him- it's Jughead, and he looks ready to do it again, though he hesitates for a moment. Chic's smirk doesn't falter as he spits blood onto the floor.

‘Go ahead, hit me all you want. You won't kill me. Because you're scared. You won't let me go, because you're worried I'll rat about the shady guy.’ 

Betty finally snaps, and Chic’s smirk is wiped off his face as she grabs his throat and squeezes, yelling, 

‘Tell us the truth about my brother!’ 

Jughead pulls her back and the moment he does, Chic resumes smirking. 

‘I already did, Betty.’ He cocks his head to one side. ‘Or maybe I didn't.' He shrugs and grins, teeth scarlet. 'You'll never know.’ 

Betty hates this. Not knowing what happened to Charles, not being able to stop herself from being angry, and hurt. She hates the smirk on his face and hates seeing Jughead so angry and so ready to hurt others for her. She dashes up the basement stairs just as her phone starts ringing- the same eerily happy tune as before. 

‘You were right. He is a killer. But he won't admit it.’ 

‘Some sinners only confess when faced with certain death.’ Offers the Black Hood. Betty rolls her eyes. 

‘I'm not going to give him to you, so don't even ask.’ 

‘If you delivered him to me, no one would ever know about the man who met such a gruesome end in your living room. Will you deliver him to me, Betty? Will you let justice be done?’ 

Betty thinks for a long moment. 

‘I -’ 

F.P. and Alice burst into the room, and she hangs up. F.P. looks like he’s taking in how messed-up the mother of his future grandchildren looks as he asks, 

‘Where's Jughead?’ 

There’s a painful thump and a cry from the basement that answers his question. F.P’s face hardens as he stomps down the stairs. 

 

Jughead has lost it. He’s punching Chic, lifting him out of the chair. Narrating everything he’s doing in a low growl. Chic has to believe he’s dealing with someone more unhinged than he is, or he won’t tell them anything. 

‘That’s your solar plexus.’ He punches Chic again, under the ribcage. The skinnier man convulses, gasping at Jughead with pure defiance. ‘Right now your diaphragm is partially paralysed, which is why you’re having trouble catching your breath.’ 

‘What are you, man?’ Chic coughs out. ‘Jealous of me and Betty?’ 

Jughead sees red, but forces himself to focus. For Betty. For his kids. 

‘Not today. Today, I’m just someone trying to get a few answers out of the asshole who tried to rape my girlfriend.’ 

Chic *laughs* at that, and Jughead jabs him hard in his side. ‘That’s your liver.’ He hits him again. ‘The nice thing about the liver, Chic, is if you hit it just right you get the vegas nerve, which tentacles out to the rest of your body...’ Another hit. ‘Your brain short-cicuits, your body shuts down, and you feel- what's the word? Terror?’ 

Jughead holds Chic up by his shirt, face inches away from the other man's. ‘Which is what Charles probably felt. Which is what Betty felt, every time you snuck into her room just to stare at her.’ He hits him again, harder. ‘When you pinned her against the wall and tore open her top.’ Again. ‘When you threatened her, and *my* kids.’ 

He slams Chic down onto the chair once more, the older boy still coughing, and looks him dead in the eyes. 

Yes, now Chic is feeling something close to fear. 

‘Now, listen to me carefully, because this is what you’re going to do. You’re going to tell the truth- all of it. I’ll know if you’re lying. Then, you’re going to apologise to Alice and Betty, and you’ll never have to see me again. If you don’t-’ 

‘What the hell are you doing?’ F.P. storms down the stairs, face like thunder. 

‘I'm getting him to talk!’ 

‘The hell you are!’ 

Jughead might be strong enough to hold his own against Chic, but F.P. easily overpowers him and drags him out onto the street, grunting and struggling to hold him back the whole way. 

So close. So close to the truth. 

‘It's not your business, boy!’ 

‘We're just gonna leave Betty and Alice alone in a house with a potential murderer?’ Jughead spits on the sidewalk, so angry he feels insane. 

‘You listen to me, you hear me!’ F.P. forces Jughead to look him in the eye. ‘After what I did to Jason Blossom, I can't- I *won't* have you near that, Jug!’ F.P. sighs, and Jughead suddenly realises how tired his father looks. Not just tired, but sad. As though he’s lost his family all over again. ‘It's not our house, Jug. It's not our place. They need to decide what they want to do, how to end this- and *then* we will help.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. I really love the way this scene came out. If any of you are fans of Dexter, that's why Jughead's little exchange with Chic probably sounded a little familiar. I felt like it was about time for Jughead to get his anger at Chic out. 
> 
> Tune in next chapter to see how Betty handles Chic, and for some much-needed Bughead fluff after all this darkness.  
> I hope you're enjoying. Thanks for reading.


	50. Chapter 50

‘What in God's name were you two doing?’ Hal snarls, and Betty flinches. She can’t stop herself from flinching at the angry men around her, since the attack. Jughead is the exception. But he’s gone, and she’s never felt less safe; even with her biggest threat tied up in their basement. 

Alice tries to manage her husband’s stress. 

‘Calm down, Hal. It’s-’ 

‘Calm down? There's a sicko tied up in our basement, Alice. It's time that we let the law deal with him.’ 

‘It's not that simple.’ Alice looks at the floor. Betty’s heartbeat skyrockets. Is this much of the truth really meant to come out, all at once, like too much toothpaste? 

‘Why does that parasite deserve our protection?’ 

‘Because I'll go to prison, too, Hal! Chic killed a man here and I helped him cover it up. We disposed of the body.’ 

‘What?’ Hal’s face is red. ‘What about Betty?’ 

‘Betty had nothing to do with it, Okay? It was- it was Chic and me!’ 

‘Mom. No.’ Be honest. Please, just let us have one night of honesty, mom. Hal turns around and points up the stairs, voice tight. 

‘Betty, do not say another word. Go to your room.’ 

As her parents continue arguing, Betty slips down the basement stairs. Chic lifts his head as she enters, smirking as he sees it’s her, but his face drops when he sees Ms. Grundy’s revolver in her hand. 

‘Where- Where'd you get that?’ 

‘I took it.’ Betty’s face is blank and her voice is flat. She’s scaring herself, but she’s also far too tired of being afraid to let this man hurt her any more. ‘I took it. From a music teacher who was like you, a predator. It's a cold night. I'm going to cut you loose, and then we're going to leave. Out the basement door.’ 

She tosses him a jacket and keeps the revolver pressed against his back as they make the long walk through the darkness of 2AM Riverdale in silence. 

‘Where are we going, Betty?’ Chic stammers, and Betty nudges him with the gun once more. 

‘I’ll tell you when we get there, if you don’t figure it out.’ 

As they pass through the cemetery gates, Chic starts shaking and tears roll down his face, but it isn’t the same kind of fear she saw in him when Jughead was done with him. This is a far different kind of fear- mingled with a slight hope that maybe, just maybe, he’ll be able to get away. 

If he gets away, he’ll be free to come back again. 

She can’t let that happen. 

‘Stop.’ Betty clicks the safety off of the gun, and Chic’s lip wobbles. 

‘Who was that, Betty? Earlier, when you went upstairs- who was that who called you? With that weird ringtone?’ 

‘You'll find out.... Now that it's just us, I need to know. Did you do it? Did you kill my brother?’ 

There’s a long silence, but Betty can’t feel any anxiety, for once. Her hand is on the trigger, and she feels a ball of ice and adrenaline inside her heart. 

‘We got in a fight, and I lost control.’ Chic shudders and sobs, and it’s the most honest emotion she’s ever heard come out of him. ‘I didn't mean to hurt him.’ 

A twig snaps close by, and Chic jumps. 

‘Who's that?’ 

Something inside of Betty goes cold. At the sound of another footstep, it turns to ice. She slowly lowers the gun, staring at the back of Chic's head.

‘That's your very own Angel of Death. The Black Hood. He's the one who called me.’ 

Chic laughs, but he’s quivering. 

‘If that were true, Betty, you'd be running for your life.’ 

‘No.’ She shakes her head, even though he can’t see it. ‘He's not interested in me. Now, I'm gonna give you a head start. I'd say you have about a seventy percent chance of making it before he cuts you down.’ 

The hooded figure takes another step towards his prey. Betty doesn’t move a muscle. 

‘Really, you should start running. Sixty percent.’ 

Chic gasps as more twigs snap. He turns and looks at the black-clad figure on the edge of the graveyard. 

‘The longer you stall, the more your chances keep dropping. What are you waiting for?’ 

Chic takes off running, and so does the Black Hood. Betty lowers the gun and watches them run out of sight. 

‘Fifty. Goodbye, Chic.’ 

…. 

‘Where'd you go, Betty?’ Her mother is sat at the table with a half-empty bottle of wine when she comes home. Tears stain her face and alcohol stains her breath. 

‘I took Chic away.’ It’s not a lie. At least it’s not a lie. ‘He's gone. For good, I think.’ 

Her mother turns to look at her, lips pursed. 

‘Where is he, Betty? Where did you take Chic?’ 

‘I took him to the bus station.’ One more lie. One more lie to end this. 

‘And then- And then what?’ 

Betty frowns as the suspicions that haven’t quite had a name come back, as she realises something’s off. 

‘Mom? Where's Dad?’ 

Alice looks back at her bottle. 

‘He went looking for you. Why do you ask?’ 

Because I’m just now realising he has no alibi for any of the Black Hood murders. That he was could have been anywhere there was a murder, in fact. One look at her mother’s tear-stained face tells Betty not to say a word. 

‘No reason... Mom, I’m really tired. Do you mind if I go to bed?’ 

Alice nods, pouring a final glass with the dregs of the bottle. 

Betty heads upstairs and flops down onto her bed. Her hands sprawl to Jughead’s side of the bed. No reassurance there tonight. 

It scares her. All of it. The ease with which Jughead was able to punch Chic in all the right places. The lack of remorse inside her for doing what she just did. Lying to her mother. Delivering her Chic to the Black Hood. She’s *Betty Cooper*. Kindness Incarnate. All of a sudden she claps a hand over her mouth and chokes back a sob. *What’s happening to me?*

She looks in the mirror for a moment, pyjama top no longer fitting over the curve of her belly. *You’re becoming a mother. Mothers do what they have to do.* 

She locks her door and her window, drawing her curtains and laying out the various glass bottles and bubble wrap necessary to make her feel safe. 

‘Well.’ She rubs her belly and looks in the mirror. ‘That was a hell of a day, wasn’t it, kiddos?’ 

....  
After a sleepless night, family breakfast is always awkward. Doubly so, when you're Betty Cooper.

*So, dad might be a serial killer. My boyfriend might be darker than I ever imagined, and I might have just killed my not-brother last night.*

‘Penny for your thoughts, hon?’ Hal smiles. 

Shit. Think fast. Inhale. Exhale. 

‘I was thinking that he was a test.’ 

‘Who was?’ 

‘The impostor, Chic... Everything that he did to us and brought to us, was kind of a test. But we survived, and we're stronger for it.’ 

Her mother scoffs. 

‘Well, that remains to be seen.’ 

‘No, Mom, we are.’ Betty takes her mother’s hand. ‘And we'll survive, whatever else comes next.’ 

Hal looks at his wife and daughter for a moment, face unreadable. Betty can’t help but think he looks a little bit like Chic in that moment, and supresses a shudder at the idea they could be so similar. 

Her father is definitely hiding something.   
…. 

Jughead can’t keep the smile off of his face at seeing Betty come around the corner. The dour look on her face and tension in her shoulders hits him when she gets closer, like a punch to the gut. Almost instantly, his mind flicks back to default setting: murder-mystery sleuthing. 

‘Every hour that passes, our killer could be planning his next attack.’ He wraps his arm around her and kisses her cheek. ‘Any word from Chic?’ 

Betty looks at the ground and shakes her head. ‘He hasn't called since I took him to the bus station.’ 

Jughead can’t stop the smile from spreading across his face as his girlfriend shrugs. 

‘So, who knows? Maybe he's gone for good.’ 

‘Hey!’ He tries to cheer her up. ‘The silver lining to all this Chic stuff over the last couple of weeks is- that's as bad as it gets, Betty. It can't get worse, how could it?’ 

‘My dad could be the Black Hood.’ His eyes widen at Betty’s unreadable face. She’s serious. He chuckles nervously at the idea of being related to a maniac like that through his children. 

‘Yeah, okay. That would be worse.’ 

‘I thought that once all this Chic stuff was over, there’d be something- relief from all the bullshit. I’d be able to sleep at night again, and be able to enjoy being a mom for the first time. Now I’m more terrified than ever, and I can’t stop thinking- the Black Hood wants me, right? But he also hates sinners. So, what’s going to happen when he eventually figures out I’m an unwed mother, and you’re clearly the father? The son of the Serpent King.’ Betty bites her lip, and his heart twists. 

‘Betty... I know these last few days have been, well, insane is an understatement. But we’ll get through this, together. We always do.’ 

‘I don’t know if I can take it, Jug.’ 

He stops them walking and turns her to face him. ‘Do you remember what I said, back at the Blue&Gold, when things with your parents first started going wrong? And your family was splintering apart?’ 

‘God, that’s so long ago.’ 

‘Do you remember, Betts?’ 

‘You told me I was strong.’ 

‘You *are* strong, Betty. It was true then, it’s even more true now. You’re so much stronger than all of the white noise, than all of the splinters of Riverdale that are attacking us right now. Nothing, not even the Black Hood, can change that.’ He kisses her lightly on the lips, slowly, eager to feel her reciprocate. 

At first, she doesn’t. She only stands there and receives, and his heart drops. She’s seen too much of his darkness. She hates him. She’s changed her mind about everything. *Oh shit. Oh, fuck.*

As Jughead moves to pull away, her hands are on his face and her tongue is in his mouth and there are tears streaming down her cheeks but god damnit she’s still so, so beautiful. 

‘Betty?’ He murmurs against her lips. 

‘Mmhmm?’ 

‘What do you say we fuck school for the day and hitch a ride to somewhere better?’ 

Betty raises an eyebrow and he smiles at all the shades of green in her eyes. 

‘Just for a day. Then we can come home and be murdered. Sound good?’ 

Betty sighs. ‘Where did you have in mind?’ 

…. 

As far as their dates go, it’s usually just Pops, or a movie. Or just staying home and having sex. Today is different, as Jughead leads Betty down a set of steps and around several corners in Centreville. 

‘My mom used to live here,’ He explains to fill the silence between him and Betty. ‘We used to come every weekend to see my grandparents and eat doughnuts. And, if I’m not mistaken....’ 

He leads her around another corner and a small, French-style bakery pops into view. ‘A-ha!’ 

He leads her into the place, and the blast of cool air conditioning hits Betty right in the face. It’s too sunny out, her feet are killing her, and she just wants to go home. Yet, when Jughead orders them both something he can’t properly pronounce and pulls out her chair for her, she can’t help but feel swept off her feet, at least a little. 

Then she bites into the pastry and her taste-buds are swept off her tongue. She can’t help but groan out, ’Oh my god, Jug.’ 

‘Save that for later.’ He winks at her and she blushes. ‘You like it, though?’ 

‘Mmmm-hmmm!’ 

Soon they order more pastries, in a variety of different flavours, along with a strong coffee for Jughead and a caffiene-free tea for Betty, who stares at his drink in pure jealousy. 

‘Just one sip can’t hurt the babies, right?’ 

‘Oh, I’m not so sure.’ Jughead teases. ’Hey!' 

‘MmmmmmmmMMMMMMM.’ Betty licks the foam off of her top lip. ‘We’re coming back here when I’m done breastfeeding.’ 

‘Man, I can’t wait for that day.’ Jughead pats his bulging stomach. ‘You ready for part 2 of the most romantic date ever?’ 

‘Hmmmm... Nah.’ Betty smiles. ‘I totally think we should just go home and bang.’ 

‘Well, too bad.’ Jughead laughs, slapping money on the counter and leading her out of the place. ‘Now, when you think of Centreville, what do you think of?’ 

‘Shady guy and a crappy football team?’ 

‘Correct. Now, answer me this: do you think there’s anywhere gorgeous, hidden right around the corner?’ 

Betty looks around the neighbourhood. It’s not exactly rundown, but the paint on all the buildings is chipped. The doorways have seen better days and there are cans of beer strewn everywhere. 

‘I’d say no, but I have a feeling you’re about to prove me wrong.’ 

He kisses her and pulls her around the corner once more. 

‘Holy shit.’ 

‘It’s called Nancy Drew Park.’ Jughead chuckles. ‘Cheesy, but I think appropriate.’ He wraps an arm around her waist, breathing in her scent. ‘Do you like it?’ 

The park is covered in cherry-blossom trees, each flowering and losing their petals in a shower of pink that covers the park in a sweet snow. It smells incredible, and Betty can’t pull her jaw up from the ground before she nods and Jughead leads her down the pathway. 

They pass buff male joggers and mothers pushing strollers, but there isn’t anyone being openly shady. This place feels new, clean and entirely worth skipping school for. The air feels fresher than it does in Riverdale, less suffocating, and for once Betty is consciously happy to be breathing. 

‘Jughead, this place is incredible. Can we sit?’ 

‘Of course, milady.’ He bows and shoos off the hundreds of fallen petals from the park bench. 

The two sit for a while and watch the world go by in slow motion. The endless torrent of pink petals around them makes it seem as if the two are stuck in some beautiful snowglobe- one they never want to escape. 

‘I thought you’d be different.’ Betty sighs, snuggling closer to Jughead. His heart drops. 

This is it. She thinks you’re a lousy father, and the kids aren’t even born yet. You should’ve known, you piece of shit. What, did you really think taking her here and buying her some cheap pastries would do the trick? You should be down on your knees- 

‘Jug?’ 

‘Y-yeah, Betty?’ 

‘I said I thought that you’d be different, after Chic.’ 

‘Wait, what?’ His heart begins beating again. Maybe she doesn’t want to dump you. Yet. 

‘I... I thought that after last night, things would be different. Forever.’ Betty closes her eyes and wills herself not to cry. ‘I thought that maybe you’d be... unhinged. Different. Someone I wouldn’t recognise. But you’re not, you’re still kind, and sweet, and so, so good to me.’ 

‘Why would I be different?’ He pulls away and frowns at her. 

‘You beat Chic to a pulp, Jug. I thought that’d change you.’ 

‘You’re right, Betty. It should have.’ Jughead fights the anger down again. *Not at Betty. Not at Betty.* ‘Only Chic... deserved it. For what he did to you. And Alice. And your brother. Hell, he nearly broke up your family, just so he could- I don’t even know. Mess with you? Get some attention? A free place to sleep? A guy like that doesn’t need a reason to kill, or worse.’ Darkness overcomes Jughead’s eyes. ‘I couldn’t let him do that to you, Betty.’ 

Her blood feels cold at the look on his face. He notices the fear in her eyes and suddenly looses his grip on her, blinking back tears. 

‘I'm so sorry, Betty. I know I shouldn’t be like this. I shouldn’t be someone you should be scared of. Look at us, we’re meant to be planning our lives. Our family.’ He puts his head in his hands, suddenly queasy. 

‘I- I couldn’t protect you when the men broke into the Lodge’s cabin. I couldn’t stop Chic from breaking into your room every night. I couldn’t-’ 

Breathe. He can’t breathe. Why can’t he breathe? 

Maybe this is good. Maybe this is progress. Is it normal to have an anxiety attack the day after you beat the shit out of someone who may or may not have been plotting to murder your pregnant girlfriend and all her family? Someone whose current whereabouts are unknown, who could even be in this beautiful park that you brought your girlfriend to, to relax? 

Hopefully. It’d be nice to have something normal going on. 

‘Jug.’ Her hands are on his back, massaging soothing circles around his centre. ‘It's okay.’ 

‘You’re going to leave me.’ Jughead gasps out, hating himself as he does. ‘I’m sorry.’ 

‘Jughead Jones, I’m not going to leave you.’ Betty bites her lip. ‘Not ever.’ 

Sure, she says that now. What happens the next time he snaps? Or when the next Riverdale murder happens and he can’t protect her or their children? 

‘Jug, just listen to the sound of my voice. Come back to me, okay? I’ve been through where you are. The thoughts. They feel true, but they’re not. Here’s what is true: you’re stronger than all the white noise in your own mind, Jughead Jones. You might think that about me, but I know it’s true about you. I know we’re going to work everything out about the kids and the Black Hood and the rest of it, but today let’s just enjoy ourselves- won't that be fun? But you have to come back to me first, okay?’ 

He desperately tries to calm down, but that just adds to the queasy feeling. Luckily, Betty’s soothing voice is there to stop him from hurling onto the petal-soaked pavement. 

‘Don’t try to breathe deeply. That just makes it worse. Try to breathe normally. Now, do you need space, or is what I’m doing helping? Shake your head if you want me to fuck off, okay?’ 

He stays still. Shaking, but still. 

Her hands are on his shoulders now, and he can feel his pressure unwinding underneath her fingers as he lets out a long, natural breath. 

It’s another five minutes before he can sit up again, and when he does he has to try hard not to cry when it dawns on him that they’re in a public place and this is humiliating. 

‘We should take the kids here sometime.’ Betty offers, an arm around his shoulder as he catches his breath. ‘I think the girl would love it, especially.’ 

He can only nod and try not to apologise. He fails. 

‘I'm sorry, Betty.’ 

‘Don’t you be sorry about a thing, Juggie.’ Betty kisses his cheek and gently turns his head to look at her. Her eyes are soft and green and at some point she took her ponytail out so that her hair falls down to just past her shoulders. She looks like a queen of the forest, with several pink petals stuck in her hair from the cherry blossoms around them. 

‘Right now, I’m just grateful that Chic is gone, we’re going to have three amazing kids, and we’re on the most amazing date ever.’ 

‘Even with me acting like a total psycho?’ 

‘Hey, I’m a Cooper. This is just a regular Tuesday for me.’ Betty winks and he laughs. 

‘Thank you.’ He won’t cry. He won’t cry. 

‘You want to get an ice cream?’ Betty grins and pulls him up. 

They walk around the park and read all the mouldy plaques about the history of the place. Betty loses interest in her ice cream and gives it to Jughead, who practically inhales it after his own, much to her amusement and relief. 

When they’re walking out of the park, she notices a signpost and punches his arm. ‘This isn’t called Nancy Drew Park!’ 

‘Ow!’ Jughead laughs. ‘Well, ‘Shitkins Park’ is what the locals call it, the signs and maps will tell you it’s ‘Blossom Square’, I figure we might as well call it something of our own.’ 

He smiles that goofy smile at her and for a moment he’s just a teenage boy, out on a date with a pretty girl, without a care in the world. Betty grins right back at him before pulling his lips down to hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There we go. Some lovely Bughead fluff. I figured this part of season 2 could've used a little more of it ;). 
> 
> Hope you guys are enjoying. Please let me know what you think. 
> 
> Thanks so much for reading.


	51. Chapter 51

‘Kiss me.’ Betty says, eyes dark with lust even before his bedroom door is locked. 

He complies, tongue brushing against hers and trying to save every touch they share. His lips journey down her neck and she groans as her legs wrap around his waist and he carries them to his bed. Her hands make quick work of his beanie and shirt, then her own. He’s pleased to see she hasn’t been wearing a bra beneath the thickness of her jumper, and immediately his head bows to capture a nipple in his mouth. 

‘Jug, I- I want-’ Betty throws her head back as he sucks gently, giving him an offended eyebrow when he stops and smirks up at her. 

‘What do you want, Betty?’ 

‘IWanYaTaTasteMe’ 

‘So I can understand you.’ 

‘I want you to taste me.’ 

His eyes darken as he once again attacks her lips, groaning as she pulls his hair. 

Nipping the shell of her ear, he whispers, ’I’m going to taste every inch of you before this night is over.’ 

She groans at that and grinds against him, still in her jeans. 

He takes care of that moments later, and soon she’s naked and writhing underneath him, trying to pull down his jeans. He stops her, smirking. ’Not yet.’ He kisses her neck. ‘Not until I’ve tasted every inch of you twice over, Betty Cooper.’ 

‘How dare you full-name me when I’m horny,’ Betty huffs as he places her hands above her head with an implicit instruction to keep them there. 

‘How dare you be so beautiful?’ He chuckles against the other side of her neck. ‘We all have our sexy crosses to bear.’ 

She growls as he nips her collarbone, then licks his way down her stomach so sensually she can taste how much she wants him. 

‘Do you want me to touch you, Betty?’ 

She nods and her hands twitch above her head, itching to push his head down to where she really wants it. He grins at her consternation. 

‘Well, that’s too bad. I have work to do...’ 

He kisses his way up to her knee, and then down her inner thigh. She can feel his hot breath against her centre, and it drives her insane. 

‘Jug, please...’ 

‘Betty Cooper, you know once I make a promise...’ He kisses from one inner thigh to the other, ‘I’m as good as my word.’ 

She groans. ‘Fuck your word. Fuck *me*.’ 

‘Tempting... I’ll have to put some thought into it...’ He smirks at the dirty look she gives him as he kisses up one calf and down another, pausing to massage her swollen feet. ‘What? You said you wanted me to touch you.’ 

She’s about to say something she’s sure is witty and sarcastic, but Betty can only groan at the feeling of her sore feet suddenly feeling ten times better. ‘Keep doing that.’ 

He kisses her feet before kneeling over her and pecking her lips, and all over her face. ‘Now you’re just being inconsistent,’ He chuckles. ‘Turn over?’ 

She complies, and he reaches into his bedside table for something. 

‘If you’re lubing up, I swear to go-Oooooooohd.’ 

‘I’ve been saving this massage oil for a special occaision.’ Jughead smirks. ‘It’s meant to be deep-cooling. Is it good?’ 

‘Uuuuuuuuuuggghhhhh-huuuuuuuuuuuuuuggghhhh.’ Betty turns to putty under his fingers and he smiles. 

‘Good, I was beginning to worry.’ He kisses across her shoulders and down her back when he’s done. His lips feel cold and it sends a devilish idea to his mind as she turns over once more, legs parted and eager once more. Her hands twitch and he nods. Her fingers tangle in his hair as his cold lips press against somewhere far more warm- the only place he hasn’t tasted tonight. 

Her breathing instantly becomes five times deeper and faster, even as Jughead’s eyes flicker upwards to meet hers, so dark and needing that she can’t help but groan at the intensity. 

‘Jug.’ 

He moans at the sound of his own name, so sweetly coming from her lips as he tastes her desperately, as though he never has before and never will again. 

He keeps his eyes on her face, measuring her reaction as he slowly pushes a finger into her, and then another. Her face is contorted in pleasure, breath leaving her mouth in soft gasps that fuel his own erection. 

She doesn’t orgasm quietly, or loudly. Instead, she groans and it’s long and guttural; and her pulling his hair as she loses control is the most intoxicating feeling he’s ever felt. 

She rolls on top of him as he wraps his arms around her, indulging in a deep and slow kiss. 

Her hands reach down towards his jeans, but he stops her. She arches a brow at him and he sighs. ‘I can’t.’ 

‘Why not?’ Betty blinks, hurt. ‘Is it me? Did I do something wrong? Because I thought that was really good.’ 

‘It was a hell of a lot of fun, Betty.’ He can’t let her know what he’s thinking, even as his erection presses against her thigh. 

It makes no sense, really. 

‘You didn’t do anything wrong. You’re beautiful.’ 

*We just haven’t had sex since your not-brother tried to rape you. And I can’t get the idea out of my head, and I feel guilty for taking pleasure in you, like some kind of asshole.* 

‘Then what is it?’ 

‘I’m... I’m just tired, I guess.’ He kisses her again. ‘I love you, Betty Cooper. For more than just the sex.’ 

‘The sex is pretty damn good.’ She smiles and nuzzles his neck. ’I love you too, Jughead Jones.’ 

Betty falls asleep with the ease of a satisfied and exhausted pregnant woman, while Jughead can’t help but stay awake and over-analyse the day’s events. His anxiety has always been under control. Betty’s has always been on the edge of flying overboard. When did their roles reverse so starkly? 

And how is he meant to tell her why he doesn’t feel like they *can* have sex? 

....

Three sexually-frustrating days later, Betty can tell something’s up. Jughead feels terrible at the look she gives him before the War Committee begins once more. He clears his throat. 

‘War Baby called my father and I from Shankshaw. Our old adversaries, the Ghoulies, have been released. Word on the street is that they want Serpent blood- they're gunning for a re-match. They want war.’ 

Sweet Pea is about to say something when the door bursts open, and Reggie Mantle storms in, with Archie and the rest of the Bulldogs in tow. 

‘Which one of you reptiles was screwing Midge Klump?’ Reggie squares up to Jughead, who snarls: 

‘What the hell is going on? This is a private meeting.’ 

Reggie looks past the Serpent Prince. 

‘I'm guessing it was you, Sweet Pea.’ 

Archie pushes his way to the front of the crowd and pulls Reggie back. 

‘Reggie, that's enough. Let’s just-’ 

Sweet Pea has registered the accusation, and stalks towards Reggie with murder in his eyes. 

‘You ass, I didn't even know Midge... But yeah, I get why she wouldn't want fleas from you mangy Bulldogs!’ 

‘Reggie, no!’ 

All of a sudden the room is made of two clashing sides of the same tsunami, with Archie and Jughead acting as a breakwall. Trying to hold Sweet Pea back from killing Reggie is easier said than done, and from Reggie’s yowling he isn’t too happy about being held back either. 

Strangely enough, it’s Betty’s voice that breaks over the caterwaul. 

‘SERPENTS, BACK OFF! NOW! DARK CIRCLE, STAND DOWN!’ 

She shoves Sweet Pea and Reggie apart so hard that Sweet Pea nearly knocks over a desk. 

‘Are you just going to stand there and let your bitch push you around, Serpent?’ Reggie barks at Jughead, who growls, 

‘Serpents listen to our women. It’s a good thing you Bulldogs have six tits, it makes up for not having brains.’ 

Archie blocks Reggie from punching Jughead right then and there, and the darker athlete sprawls back into the door. 

‘Traitor!’ 

‘Let’s just hear what Betty has to say.’ Archie turns to his childhood friend. ‘You wanna help me out, Betts?’ 

‘If Midge was cheating on Moose with a Serpent, there’ll be evidence. Text messages, phone calls. Sheriff Keller will find whoever it is, and then if you want you can beat the crap out of each other, but it won’t bring Midge back. And if you kill each other today, Weatherbee will suspend us all and we’ll miss Pizza Friday in the cafeteria, and wouldn’t that just be a shame?’ 

‘Why are you defending a pack of scaly psychopaths?’ Reggie squares up to Betty, who holds her ground. ‘Would you be fighting so hard if you were having a litter of bulldogs instead, Cooper?’ 

‘Reggie, that’s enough!’ Archie looks like he’s about to punch his teammate, even as the bell rings and the tension in the room is suddenly broken. 

Before Reggie can exit the room, however, Betty grabs Reggie’s collar and pulls him down to her level. 

‘Talk to me like that again and you’ll find out what it’s like to *really* be in my bad books.’ 

‘Psycho!’ 

And yet, the brave bulldog runs. 

…. 

After a few hours of lessons, Betty and Jughead like to study together in the Blue & Gold office. Lately, studying has taken a back seat to planning for the children. 

‘Mom and Dad are taking me on at the Register- I'll be paid for my editing time there.’ 

‘How much?’ 

‘$50 a week.’ Betty sighs. ‘It’s not exactly minimum wage, but it’s better than nothing. What about at Pops?’ 

‘$101.42 a week, on average.’ 

‘Delightfully specific.’ Betty sighs. ‘I might be able to pick up another job-’ 

‘No, nuh-uh.’ Jughead frowns. ‘Look, we can still live at home. Your parents want to make amends because of what they did to Polly, so we can save up for our own place slowly. I can go full-time over the summer, you can pick up a few more hours, and we’ll be fine until we have to come back to school.’ 

‘What about babysitters? And when are you planning on moving into my parent’s house? Or when am I moving into yours?’ 

‘I think that’s a conversation we need to have with your parents, Betty. But they’re not in such a good place, so...’ 

Betty groans. ‘At least we’re gonna be able to afford that cradle in a few months.’ 

He chuckles bitterly, ‘Yeah, yeah. At least there’s that.’ 

She puts her head in her hands. ‘Jug, there’s something else we need to talk about... There's no one else that I can talk to. No one else who might understand what I'm going through.’ 

‘What is it?’ 

‘Well... before you saw the video of your dad cleaning up after Jason Blossom...’ She avoids his eyes, swimming through the painful memories, ‘Did you know that he was involved?’ 

Jughead thinks for a moment, then nods. ‘Subconsciously, yes. I mean, I wasn’t living at home, but whatever contact I did have with him... It paused, over that time last summer. Betty, Why do you ask? Has your dad- has he done something?’ 

‘I think there's a chance that my dad- that somehow- He might be the Black Hood.’ 

Jughead frowns. ‘First we get rid of Chic, now this? Christ, Betty. Is there anyone sane in your family?’ It’s meant as a small jab to deflect the tension, but Betty winces at his words. Quickly, Jughead takes her hands. ‘That’s not how I meant it. But... I’ve seen your dad. He’s as threatening as a marshmallow man. What makes you think he could do all the terrible things the Black Hood has?’ 

‘It's just intuition. Jug, I don't want my dad to be a murderer- it would destroy our lives even more, but I don't know... I-I can feel it, in my bones! He’s hiding something from me and my mom- and I think it’s something that woke up even before he moved out. Maybe it’s always been there and I just haven’t noticed it till now, but...’ 

‘If you're coming to me for advice, fine. Let's make a new murder-board. One just for your father, with everything we know and don’t know on it, and work until all the gaps are filled in. Then, we can go to the police.’ 

Betty’s heart lifts as Jughead instantly opens to a new page of his notebook. 

'I need to be sure before I involve anyone else. Also, I know it's hard to explain, but if my dad is the Black Hood, I need to be the one who confronts him, who stops him. I don’t know if I can have you involved in that, Jug. You have so much on your plate already-’ 

‘Betty, this is us now. We’re a team. We’re going to be parents. And you know what they say- the parents who capture murderous future-grandparents together...’ He trails off. ‘Okay, maybe there’s a reason why nobody says that. But you get what I mean. I want to be here for you, Betty. No matter how much is on my plate.’ He sighs, ‘But if you need to do this alone... I’ll support that too.’ 

She kisses him and for a blessed second his lips make everything normal. She sighs into the kiss before she has to pull away. 

‘I’ll need concrete proof, or a confession, or both.’ 

‘You’ll need to buy yourself time while you investigate.That means pretending everything is normal.’ 

Betty sighs. ‘Yeah, well, luckily, that's my specialty.’ 

Jughead’s gaze is dark and serious. ‘If you’re right, Betty, then we'll be playing a very dangerous game.’ 

‘I don't think he would hurt his own daughter.’ 

‘And I never thought my dad would cover up a murder. Cheryl never thought her father would shoot his son in the forehead- but that's the world we live in.’ The bell rings and he sighs, ‘Be careful, Betty. I love you.’ 

…. 

‘It's bad, Jones. It's really bad.’ Fangs stares into his cup of black coffee as Jughead sighs and sits across from him in the trailer. Just when he’d had a free day to catch up on normal school things, the senior serpent had appeared on his door. 

‘So talk to me, Fangs.’ 

‘On the opening night of Carrie, when you were backstage filming your documentary and you found me in Midge's dressing room...’ Fangs takes a deep breath. ‘I wasn't just giving her notes’ 

Jughead curses. 

‘You were hooking up with Midge? And you didn't tell Sheriff Keller?’ He pinches the bridge of his nose. ‘Jeez, Fangs, do you know how guilty this makes you look?’ 

‘I know! I know.’ Fangs may have the decency to look guiltily at his coffee, but that doesn’t stop Jughead’s next question: 

‘Did you do it?’ 

‘Of course not...’ Fangs studies Jughead’s face. ‘You've got to believe me, Jones!’ 

‘I do!’ Jughead’s mind races with frustrated thoughts. 

‘Can you delete the footage off your camera?’ Fangs looks hopeful until Jughead shakes his head. 

‘I already gave the footage over to Sheriff Keller as evidence.’ 

‘What do I do, Jones?’ Fangs curses under his breath. Jughead sighs, 

‘Nothing. Lay low. Serpents got your back... I got your back, okay?’ 

…. 

The rest of the day is spent reading, researching, and fretting over Betty and the babies. Jughead can’t find it in him to stay still, instead being all over his trailer at once- at his murder-wall for Hiram, the smaller murder-board in his room for Hal Cooper/Black hood affairs, and the notebook on the kitchen counter of his research on how best to help Betty through her pregnancy. 

Sometimes, the longest days are our free ones.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, a little bit of sexless smut. Hope you guys don't mind! I love writing tortured Jughead, maybe a bit toooooo much... Mwuahahhaa.
> 
> Love you all. Thanks for reading.
> 
> Tune in next time for a real riot.


	52. Chapter 52

One sleepless night later, Jughead is caught playing politician between the Serpents and the ‘Bull-dongs’, as Sweet Pea has taken to calling them in the hallways under his breath. 

‘I need your Dark Circle to just lay off my Serpents, Archie.’ He sighs as the two stand in line for lunch. ‘Even though they were technically right about something.’ 

‘What do you mean?’ 

How much should he tell his friend? Are he and Archie even friends anymore? Maybe not, but Archie is the only Bull-dong (why can’t he stop saying it now?) that doesn’t want an all-out-war. Jughead decides to only tell him what’s necessary. 

‘One of my Serpents was canoodling with Midge. But he didn't kill her... And I'm not gonna give you his name, so please don't ask.’ Archie is silent as they’re served slop and try to find a table. ‘Rest-assured, none of my crew is a middle-aged white guy with green eyes.- And that's who you're still looking for, right?’ 

‘Yeah.’ Archie says quietly as they spot the girls. ‘I'll tell Reggie to lay off.’ 

‘Thank you...’ Jughead makes the split-second decision to tell Archie more. ‘In the meantime, I need to get back some possibly incriminating footage from this new Sheriff. Have you met him yet?’ 

‘No.’ Archie looks at his friend, who can’t decipher his expression. ‘But do you mind if I tag along?’ 

.... 

Hiram Lodge beats them to the new Sheriff- hopefully not in the worst way imaginable, Jughead hopes. ‘Gentlemen This is the young man I was telling you about, Archie Andrews. The one organizing the safety initiative. The Dark Circle. A man after my own heart.’ His dark eyes study Jughead like a lizard. ‘And this is the other one-’ 

‘The muckraker.’ The new Sheriff smiles as Jughead’s heart sinks. ‘The trouble maker.’ 

The Serpent prince forces himself to smile and put out a hand for the sheriff to shake as though they’re going to become great friends. 

‘You forgot iconoclast. Jughead Jones. I was wondering if I could have a word about some documentary footage that I lent your predecessor?’ 

‘Sure. Let's chat in my office.’ 

The new sheriff in the old office instantly sends a chill down Jughead’s spine. 

The conversation, needless to say, doesn’t go well.   
....

When Betty calls Jughead into the Blue and Gold office, her mind is still reeling. 

‘I got into my dad's planner. And cross-referenced the dates of every Black Hood attack with his schedule, and they all line up.’ 

She takes a deep breath and tries not to panic. Jughead, she’s surprised, doesn’t seem so concerned. 

‘Okay.’ 

‘He "Worked late" the night Midge and Moose were attacked. "Early meeting" the morning Fred was shot. A "Business trip" the night Ms. Grundy was killed. Business trip to Greendale, no doubt.’ 

Jughead leans over the table to study her notes. 

‘This isn't proof, but this is corroboration.’ 

Betty nods in agreement. They both jump as her phone starts ringing. 

‘Mrs. Cooper? This is Dr. Curdle from the coroner's office.’ Betty shares a look with Jughead. 

‘How- How can I help you?’ 

‘I have a warm body for you. Unidentified male, mid-20s. His body turned up off the highway, just outside town, mutilated. Mrs. Cooper. Are you there?’ 

‘Yes. Yes, I'll come I'll come by to see it. Thank you, Dr. Curdle.’ 

‘As always, small bills are preferable.’ Click. 

Something terrible crashes over Betty, and all of a sudden she’s on the floor and sobbing, while a very confused Jughead holds her. 

‘We- We have to go to the morgue.’ 

‘Why? What’s wrong? Is it- is it another Black Hood victim?’ Jughead speaks so softly she wonders why she’s still breaking. She takes a shaky breath. 

‘I sent The Black Hood after Chic. I gave Chic a head start and told him to run, but maybe he didn't make it.’ 

‘Fuck, Betty.’ His hands around her are the only things grounding Betty to reality. It’s as if she can feel herself drifting away, back to the previous night. The ice around her heart is melted, replaced with pain. Visceral, deep, guilty pain. Jughead senses it and holds her gently, stroking her hair. ‘It’s okay. If it was the Black Hood, you had nothing to do with it. Okay? And they won’t be able to prove anything. Right now, the most important thing is you being okay. I can go to the morgue myself if you don’t feel-’ 

‘No!’ Betty gasps, too loud. She lowers her voice. ‘I want to. If it’s him... I need to see this through, Jug.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter. I'm getting to the end of what I've written in advance, at least. Not bad, considering I've not written a chapter in about a year and we're over 50 chapters in now! Of course I'll keep going until the babies are born. I have a LOT of Bughead fanfics planned, so if you want to read those please subscribe. When the babies are born this fic will end. 
> 
> Depending on what you guys want, I'll write a season 3 fic that takes place in this universe. So, if you want to read that please let me know! Watching Bughead juggle cults and gargoyle kings and three babies sounds like a good time, right?
> 
> Hope you're enjoying. Thanks so much for sticking with me for this long.


	53. Chapter 53

The coroner’s office is about as happy a place as one would expect. Dark walls with a shadowy man who accepts Betty’s bribe and uncovers the corpse on the table before them... 

A corpse that she doesn’t recognise. 

‘This poor creature was found in the men's room at the rest stop outside of Greendale.’ 

She takes a deep breath and steadies her nerves, trying her best to conduct the interview like her mother would- it'll make for an interesting article, she supposes. 

It isn’t until she and Jughead leave the building that her panic catches up to her. Jughead takes a hold of both her shoulders and looks her in the eyes. 

‘Betty, it's okay. It wasn't Chic.’ 

‘But it could have been.’ Betty gasps, tears overcoming her eyes once more. ‘Chic is probably out there, with a bullet in his forehead or-’ 

‘-Or he got away, and he's on a train back to Transylvania.’ Jughead tries to make light of the situation as they head back to the car. Once the doors are securely closed Betty closes her eyes. 

‘I delivered him to the Black Hood, Jug. That makes me a murderer. I've been trying to prove that my dad's a killer, when really, all I have to do was look in the mirror. -Oh, God!’ Betty sobs harder, and Jughead can only look at her and keep a hold of her hands in his. Her fingernails are digging into his hands, but he prefers it to the alternative. ‘He got what he wanted. We're the same.’ 

‘No.’ He shakes his head. ‘None of this is your fault, Betts. Life is...’ They look at each other and sigh. ‘It’s not your fault, okay?’ 

‘Part of me wanted to punish Chic for what he did.’ 

‘If Chic is dead, that's a psycho's doing, not yours.’ 

Betty shakes her head and looks at the dashboard. 

‘I-I don't know how much longer I can keep going before I snap and say something.’ 

They take another deep breath. Jughead kisses her temple and murmurs before he can stop himself. 

‘I think you should say something. I think you need to confront your father with as much of the truth as you dare, and see how he reacts. But you also need ot be safe. I can be there, if you need. Or your mom. Just... Don’t put yourself through this alone, okay?’ 

Betty doesn’t reply. 

…. 

Nothing in Jughead’s life is simple anymore. His pregnant girlfriend thinks she’s a murderer, his fellow gang members are ready for war, and he’s involved in at least two active murder investigations. Maybe some of the stress is showing on his face, because FP calls him into the kitchen behind the counter of Pops. 

‘What’s wrong, boy?’ FP lowers his voice so Pop can’t hear. ‘Is it Betty? Something happen?’ 

Jughead remembers his father’s words. Don’t get involved. Well, he’s a little more than that now, isn’t he? He shakes his head and focuses on the other problem. 

‘Sheriff Minetta wouldn't give me back my footage of Fangs and Midge. Says he wants to go through it frame by frame.’ 

FP curses. ‘It's only a matter of time before he puts two and two together and brings Fangs in. Damn it. Of all the girls in Riverdale High-’ 

‘Dad, what do I do? If Fangs runs, he looks guilty. If he's caught withholding the truth, he'll look like the killer.’ 

FP is silent for a long moment. Jughead can see the wheels turning in his mind. His father is never without a plan. Yet, after several moments of silence, Jughead can’t help but start to ramble: 

‘It's a perfect storm.The Lodges endorsed this new Sheriff. They want Midge's killer caught and if it's a Southsider, so much the better-’ 

‘Then we hunker down.’ FP’s voice is grave as he stares at his son and whispers, ‘Get ready to fight.’ 

…. 

‘I have something to confess.’ Betty can’t help but blurt out, as the family settle in for dinner. 

‘Well, what is it, honey?’ Her mother smiles. Betty can’t believe she’s about to break her world in two, but it has to be done, doesn’t it? Her father gives a curious nod from across the table. Does he know what she’s about to say? 

‘While the Black Hood was first hurting people... He was also calling me, asking me to do things. He said I was- I was like him. He offered to help me get rid of Chic. So, I delivered Chic to the Black Hood.’ Betty can’t bring herself to look at her mother. What the hell am I doing? ‘If he's dead, that makes me an accomplice to murder... And I think I'm okay with that. The truth is, there's always been this darkness inside of me- I thought Chic could help me understand it, but really... It was the Black Hood who did.’ 

Why is her father smiling? 

Luckily, Alice looks significantly more worried. 

‘Honey... I- I don't know what to say.’ 

Hal Cooper does. 

‘Betty I experience it, too, the darkness. When I was away from you and your mom, I felt like I was drowning in it. It's why we need each other.’ 

When her father reaches across the table to take her hand, it’s cold. 

…. 

Jughead is groggy at school the next day from a sleepless night at Betty’s. He can feel the tension in the house between her and her father, and stayed up all night to watch the door handle for the slightest sign of movement. Nothing all night. 

He jumps when Toni taps him on the shoulder at his locker. 

‘Jug, did you see it?’ 

‘See what?’ He blinks the sleep out of his eyes and looks down at her phone, playing a certain incriminating video. 

‘Fangs was dating Midge and didn't tell Sheriff Keller.’ 

Fuck. 

‘Where'd you get that video?’ 

And why couldn’t I get one day off from this madness? 

‘It was posted on The Register's website, somebody leaked it.- It makes Fangs look guilty as sin.’ 

He groans as a voice comes over the school speakers. 

‘Attention, students. This is Principal Weatherbee. I need Fangs Fogarty to come to my office immediately.’ 

Double fuck. 

‘Where is he, Toni?’ 

‘I don't know.’ 

‘Well, we have to find him before the Dark Circle does.’ He takes her hand and runs, bumping into Fangs as they shoot around the corner. 

‘What the hell, man! That video's everywhere! How did it get out?’ 

‘We have to get you out of here, all right?’ Jughead can barely think straight as all of a sudden they’re running from a group of Dark Circle members- 

Right into the Sheriff. 

‘Mr. Fogarty! We need you to come with us.’ 

‘I didn't do anything!’ 

Fangs is in panic mode, and is perhaps the very definition of ‘resisting arrest’. However, when a switchblade falls from his jacket, the Sheriff wastes no time in wrestling the younger boy to the group and slapping the handcuffs onto him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter today. Don't worry, soon there's gonna be much longer chapters again... Unless of course you guys comment saying you don't want any ;)
> 
> As always, hope you're enjoying. Thank you so much for reading.


	54. Chapter 54

The phone calls from his father, Sweet Pea, and Toni aren’t Jughead’s favourite thing to wake up to. FP’s messages are aching with parental worry- 

‘Where are you, boy? This place is trashed. I hope you weren’t out with them last night. Call me.’ 

Sweet Pea isn’t as worried, but he is far more angry: 

‘Where the hell are you? Bulldogs trashed the Southside last night. There’s broken windows everywhere and we’re all begging for war. You better figure out which side you’re on soon.’ 

It’s Toni’s call that truly wakes him up that morning, however. He has to speak in a hushed voice to not wake Betty as he slips out of bed and down the ladder, to stand outside her house. 

‘Toni? What the hell happened?’ 

‘The Bulldogs decided to take revenge for Midge last night, that’s what happened. Hog Eye saw them destroying anything they could get their bats on. They even set the dumpster behind the White Wyrm on fire. Everyone’s gearing up for war, and to be honest I can’t blame them. But if you do want to stop world war three from erupting, you’d better move quickly.’ 

‘I’m calling Archie right now. I’ll get you some answers. Just- please, Toni, can you try to hold things together?’ 

‘Emphasis on ‘try’. Good luck.’ 

Archie sounds groggy when the Serpent angrily dials him. 

‘Jug, what's up?’ 

‘You and your Dark Circle went Wilding on the Southside last night, that's what's up!’ 

That seems to wake Archie up. 

‘Wait, hold on. That- That's impossible.’ 

Jughead rolls his eyes. 

‘Unless it was some other vigilante group in letterman jackets who set a dumpster on fire and slashed our tires! Archie, Hog Eye saw you guys!’ 

‘Jug, I swear, I don't know anything about this! I wasn't there.’ 

‘Archie, I don’t have fucking time for this. You need to get them under control. Find out what the hell happened last night. Toni and I are doing damage control with the Serpents right now, but- fuck, man...’ 

He hangs up the phone before Archie can formulate a response. Then, he texts Betty a quick message: 

‘Sorry I had to get up early, Sleeping Beauty. I’ll see you at school. I love you. -J’ 

Then, he sees another contact in his phone that might be of some use. 

He’s dialling and rushing to the Sheriff’s station before he has time to think. 

…. 

‘Jughead?’ The human embodiment of a sight for sore eyes meets him outside. 

‘Attorney McCoy.’ 

‘Where is he?’ 

‘Inside. They wouldn’t let me see him. The sheriff is already interrogating him-’ 

‘Let’s get in there.’ 

In the next five minutes, Attorney McCoy has strutted past the receptionist and into the interrogation room, as though the world around her is totally in control. It brings Jughead a strange satisfaction to see the look of shock on the new Sheriff’s face. 

‘Don't say another word.’ She addresses Fangs, before turning to the cop. ‘I'll be representing Mr. Fogarty from here-on-out, and I'd appreciate it if you'd stop harassing my client.’ She takes a seat beside Fangs and smiles at him. ‘You're being held because you were in possession of a weapon on school property.’ 

‘My-my switch-blade's for protection.’ Fangs stutters, looking from McCoy to Jughead to the Sheriff and back again. McCoy smiles. 

‘Yes. Well, they have 24 hours to make something stick. In the meantime, you exercise your right to remain the hell silent.’ 

.... 

Sundays in Riverdale used to be calm and simple, but Jughead can barely remember the last time they were. When he meets Betty at Pops, the conversation quickly turns to her father. 

‘Has he confessed yet?’ 

Betty shakes her head and sighs at her burger. The pregnancy is wreaking havoc on her appetite. 

‘No. But he said something about not being his best self when my mom kicked him out. And it was just a hunch, but I got into his credit card statements and he's still making weekly payments to the ShareBnB he'd been renting even though he's back at home.’ 

‘Fuck. Do you think it’s where he’s keeping some kind of secret identity? Or evidence?’ 

‘I don’t know, Jug. But I think we’re breaking in, either way.’ 

.... 

The ShareBnB room is small and messy. A half-eaten can of spaghetti-o's lies on the sink, while dirty clothes and receipts litter the floor. If Hal Cooper is hiding evidence here, he’s definitely doing a good job. Betty and Jughead share a look and get to work. 

‘What are we looking for, exactly? Trophies from his victims? Or just anything unusual or incriminating?’ 

‘I don’t know, Jug. Anything we can find that might link him to the Black Hood.’ 

Jughead spots the book on the counter before Betty does, and curses under his breath. He didn’t want her to be right. 

‘Betty?’ His girlfriend looks up from studying receipts on the floor. ‘Does your father have an affinity for kiddie lit, or would this be considered unusual?’ 

Betty sees the book he’s holding up by the tips of his fingers and curses. ‘The Black Hood used this book to write the cipher, the cipher that only I could solve. My dad knew I was obsessed with this book growing up.’ 

They look at each other for a moment before Betty’s phone starts ringing. Jughead can tell from her pale face who’s calling. 

‘Don't answer it.’ 

She presses a finger to her lips before she answers the phone. 

‘Hi, Dad.’ 

‘Betty, where are you?’ Jughead blanches. Could a cold-blooded killer really sound so innocent over the phone? So normal? He thinks of all the most infamous serial killers- Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer... Could this man walk in the same footsteps? Betty’s father? The same man who brought him and Betty lemonade while they played as children? A glance at the book in Betty’s hands sends a chill down his spine. 

‘Um, I'm at Pop's. With Cheryl.’ 

‘Well, your mom and I are about to head to the mayoral debate. You want us to wait? Or pick you up?’ 

‘No! -No, just go ahead. We'll meet you there.’ Betty’s smile strains through her teeth. Hopefully her father can’t hear how fake her happiness is. 

‘Betty, we need to get out of here.’ 

She nods and holds the book close to her chest as they rush out of the motel. On the drive to the debate he tries to calm her. 

‘It’s circumstantial evidence, Betts. Again, maybe confront your dad about it. I’ll be right behind you- doing it with your mom in the room may not be the best idea, but I agree you need answers.’ They pull up to the town hall. ‘Are you sure you’re alright with me not going in with you?’ 

She nods. 

‘I know you need to check on Fangs. Besides, it’s a hall full of people- what's the worst that could happen?’   
…. 

With a single shot, the town hall is in chaos. Witha single scream, the mayoral debate is over. 

‘Oh, my God! It's the Black Hood!’ 

More shots. 

Betty looks wildly around- where is her mother? More importantly, where is her father? 

‘Betty!’ 

Hands pull her to the side of the hall and she’s kicking and fighting until she realises it is her father- but then, who is the man firing the gun into the crowd? 

…. 

Jughead murmurs loving words into the phone before hanging up and turning back to Fangs and McCoy. He clears his throat at the awkwardness and pushes down the stress as he fills them in. 

‘I just got off the phone with Betty. Apparently, the Black Hood just turned the town hall into his own personal shooting gallery, while Fangs was right here... So, why is the Sheriff still holding him?’ 

McCoy studies the floor. 

‘What happened tonight and what happened to Midge...’ She sighs and studies the boys. ‘Are being treated as separate incidents. But, if the Sheriff doesn't press charges in the next hour, he has to let you go.’ 

Fangs is left to contemplate this in his cell as McCoy leads Jughead away and murmurs so only he can hear, 

‘There are lots of protesters outside, Jughead. His release is going to make a lot of people in this town very unhappy.’ 

‘What else is new?’ Jughead sighs. Mayor McCoy stalks back to discuss strategies with Fangs, and before he joins then Jughead sends a simple text to Betty:

'I wish I was curled up in bed with you instead of right here. I love you. -J.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another shorter chapter. Longer ones returning soon.  
> Hope you guys are enjoying. Thanks so so SOOOOOOOOO much for reading!


	55. Chapter 55

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, yesterday the marvellous Mysingularityuniverse informed me that chapters 53 and 54 weren't right. I've fixed them since then, so if you haven't, please catch up on those. I've sorted out the glitch now, so it shouldn't happen again.

Hal Cooper is in a rush when Betty catches him on his way out of the door. 

‘Honey, I'm going to meet your mom down at The Register.’ 

Images of the gunman at the town hall flash through Betty’s mind, her sleuthing skills on edge from the hormones and the stress. At this point, she’s not sure if she wants to cave in or arrest her father on the spot... No. She needs more evidence. She needs to keep being Betty Cooper, even as the world around her becomes unrecognisable. 

‘Actually, Dad, I need to talk to you about something. I don't know what I saw at the Town Hall, if that was really the Black Hood...’ Betty forces herself to look her father in the eyes, despite her fingernails digging into her palms hard enough to draw blood. ‘Jughead and I went to your ShareBnB and broke-in.’ 

Hal slowly closes the front door. 

‘You and Jughead?’ 

‘-And I found this book that the Black Hood used for his cipher all those months ago. Betty forces herself to take a deep breath. ‘Why do you have it?’ 

She holds the book out to her father, who takes it in his hands. After a moment of running his hands up and down the cover, flicking through the pages with an unreadable expression, he hands it back. 

‘I had no idea that the Black Hood used that book.’ Hal frowns suddenly- a dangerous expression that chills Betty’s heart. ‘All I knew was it was your favorite.’ He sees the terror on Betty’s face and his face instantly changes- a friendly smile with something ticking behind his eyes. ‘You checked it out of the library practically every weekend. I found a copy online, and I was saving it for your birthday.’ 

Betty wasn’t prepared for this- an actual excuse. Something the father she knows would actually do for her, because he loves her. Because he *knows* her, as well as any parent really knows their child. 

‘What? What are you talking about?’ 

Hal’s eyebrows raise. ‘You didn't think that...’ He shakes his head and turns back to the door. ‘Oh, Betty...’ 

‘Wait, wait.’ Betty looks at the book in her hands. The one that has so many of her childhood memories engraved into every sentence. ‘So... this book is really just a present? For me?’ 

‘Of course, Betty.' Hal opens the front door. ‘What else would it be?’ 

Something in his voice isn’t right. Something about it is... different. Not her father. 

The door closes behind him before Betty can ask another question. Another mistake her father would never make- leaving her alone with her thoughts when she’s on a case. 

When she’s onto *him*. 

…. 

‘So he had a story prepared?’ Jughead asks, walking home from the Sheriff’s station. The mob makes it hard to hear Betty. 

‘I think so. Jug, it sounded so believable, and I wanted to believe it, but... When he left. He left without saying ‘I love you.’ He’s never done that to me before. I know, it sounds stupid, but-’ 

‘Your family pride themselves on maintaining appearances.’ Jughead finishes. ‘He would already have his public ‘face’ on, so to speak, if he was going out to meet your mom.’ 

‘Yeah.’ 

‘Betty, stay safe. I’m really sorry, but I have to go. Things are really heating up at the station with Fangs. Everyone’s baying for blood and we have to make sure he gets out safely.’ 

‘You stay safe too, Jug. I love you.’ 

Jughead pauses outside his trailer. 

‘I love you too. Betty?’ 

‘Yeah?’ 

‘I know it’s dumb to think about it, and nothing’s going to happen, but if anything happens to me-’ 

‘Jug, don’t-’ 

‘I want you to make sure the kids know their father. Who I was.’ 

He hangs up before Betty can reply, taking a deep breath before heading inside his trailer. 

‘Dad, I just got back from the Sheriff's station. Fangs is getting out tonight.’ 

An all-too-familiar silhouette steps out from the shadows. 

‘Joaquin?’ Jughead looks at his father, mind blank. ‘What's he doing here?’ 

‘I called him. He's going to help Fangs disappear.’ 

‘I can sneak him out to San Junipero.’ Joaquin smiles. ‘I got a place there.’ 

‘Maybe.’ Jughead leans forward and murmurs to his father, ‘But first, we need to get him out of that Sheriff's station in one piece. There's an angry mob outside with pitchforks and they're yelling for his head!’ 

F.P. signals for Joaquin to stay behind as he rushes out of the trailer after his son.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! Things are heating up! Honestly, transcribing season 2 episode 21 was one of the hardest things I've had to do, but I'm so happy with how it's come out. I can't wait to share it with you guys in the next few chapters. There'll be more Bughead soon too, I promise. This part of the season didn't have too many scenes for them, so I'm working on adding them into future chapters. 
> 
> Also, I'm back to updating on Wednesdays now. Hope you guys enjoyed your week of daily updates ;). 
> 
> As always, thank you so much for reading. It's been a hard month, but your support means the world in the face of things. I hope you're enjoying.


	56. Chapter 56

Betty can’t settle her stomach- at nearly 8 and a half months, the kids never stop kicking. There is no longer a  
difference between her anxious butterflies and her babies. Looking in the mirror, she has to admit  
she looks tired. Hungry. She’s hardly eaten all day, and yet... there’s a different kind of hunger within  
her. Something far more overpowering.  
All the evidence is before her- the mask, the book, her notes... Betty’s mind clicks into place.

She picks up the phone, staring at the Nancy Drew book on her desk.

Hal Cooper picks up on the first ring. ‘Betty, is everything okay?’

‘Dad?’ Betty looks herself dead in the eyes, as calm as the night she got rid of Chic. ‘I think  
we need to finish the conversation we started earlier.’

‘Should I come home, Betty?’  
What a quaint idea. They could keep playing happy families. It doesn’t have to be this way�but it does. Betty can’t settle for anything less- especially not with a family to think of. 

This has to end.

‘No. Meet me at the place where this all began. With my speech at Town Hall. You  
understand.’

There’s a pause, and she knows he knows.

‘Of course.’

‘I want it to just be between you and me. Just how you wanted it from the beginning. Just like  
it's supposed to be.’

She hangs up then- a good way to turn the tables. She writes a note and tapes it to the  
underside of her desk- Jughead will know to look there if anything happens.

If Jughead survives the night. Betty fights a wave of anger that surges within her. If those  
were his last words to her... She’s ready to go out and slaughter him herself. 

Breathing deeply, trying to keep a clear head, she begins the long walk to Town Hall.

....

By the time Jughead and F.P. get to the station, the crowd has become a mob. They’re  
screaming, waving banners and weapons and signs. F.P. manages to jostle his way to the  
doors of the station, where he’s let in by Attorney McCoy. Jughead tries to push through the  
crowd, but when he’s knocked to the ground he sees something far worse.

This is why he keeps Archie on speed dial.  
‘Archie, you gotta get down here! I'm down at the station-’

‘Jug, slow down, I can't hear you.’

Jughead can’t believe it. He has to scream over the primal roar of the crowd;  
'I said, get your ass down to the Sheriff's station! Your guys are here, and they're out of  
control!’

‘Oh, you mean the Dark Circle? They're not my guys anymore.’

What does that matter? Jughead wants to throw his phone at the ground, but seeing the  
former Bulldogs with their bats and other improvised weapons- some of which he can’t even  
name- stop him. He pleads, suddenly on the verge of tears.

‘Well, they want to rip Fangs apart!’ He sees his father poking his head out of the station  
window, ducking back as someone throws a brick. 

There isn’t much time. ‘He's getting out  
and we need your help, Archie, please!’

Jughead is jostled once more, and he hangs up on Archie. Whoever jostled him is just another  
in a sea of arms and bodies writhing in anger and hatred. The Bulldogs begin pushing their  
way through the people, chanting:

‘Justice for Midge! Justice for Midge!’

At this point, even the arrival of the Serpents and their rival chanting of ‘Free Fangs!’ isn’t  
enough to make Jughead believe the night is going to end without bloodshed.

He steels himself and pushes foreward.

….

The gun in Betty’s purse makes the walk to Town Hall feel especially long. 

She’s not the same girl who Chic attacked. Who fell in love with Archie. Who obeyed  
everything her mother said. 

She tried to be good, and look at where she is now.  
Town Hall is empty, her footsteps echoing on the hardwood floor. Betty moves to the front of  
the auditorium, to the table. They hold AA meetings here on the weekends, and all the chairs  
are still spread around. A jug of coffee sits cold on the centre of the table as Betty lays out her  
evidence.

She looks at the gun in her hand for a long moment, before putting it down.

Betty feels her father enter the room, rather than hearing him.

‘Okay, Dad. Let's talk.’

….

Jughead steps in front of Sheriff Minette, hoping the man will see reason.

‘You can't take Fangs out the front. We have to take the side entrance.’

‘Crowd's out there, too. So pick your poison, Serpent.’

The Sheriff walks away, uninterested in the drama beyond the walls. Smashing at the  
windows. Threatening to engulf every soul in Riverdale in a ceaseless torrent of violence.

The younger Serpents look to him as a leader.

What do we do, man?’ Sweet Pea asks.

‘I don't wanna die.’ Fangs half-sobs, pale and shaking next to Toni.

‘Fangs, you're not going to.’ Jughead remembers the early days, when it was Betty who had  
the constant panic attacks. How the tables have turned. ‘Look at me, okay?’

All the Serpents look at him, but he focuses on Fangs.  
‘We stand together, so none of us falls.’ He raises his voice. ‘In unity, there is strength.’

The gang chants together, ‘In unity, there is strength!’

They all embrace around Fangs, before pushing out of the doors. 

It would be nice to say that Jughead’s life flashes before his eyes. That he’s thinking of Betty,  
or the children, the future he might never see- but that’s a lie. A rotten lie. His only thought as  
the doors to hell open before him is ‘Wow, this really sucks.’

Followed by, ‘Should probably try not to die here. Could get tricky.’

The Serpents move as one, with Fangs relatively well-protected in the middle. All they need  
to do is get to the motorcycles- F.P. is revving them up- even over the screeching of the  
crowd as they spot Fangs, the engines of a dozen Serpent motors are roaring. The sound gives  
Jughead hope as the teenagers jostle against the crowd, pushing and punching, spitting and  
swearing their way towards the noise.

They almost make it, too.

Jughead sees Reggie walk through the crowd- an aura so dark that he doesn’t have to push  
past anyone. His face is steel, ready to clash with any Serpent fangs that seek to bite back. 

Jughead sees the gun in his hand, tenses for a shot, but Archie appears from the crowd just in  
time to tackle Reggie before

BANG!

The crowd disperses at the gunfire- cowards who don’t care about Fangs the moment their  
own lives are in danger. Jughead knows that Reggie didn’t get the shot right- he was on the  
ground. Archie kicks the gun away from the Bulldog, and Jughead turns to Fangs.

Fangs is stood, frozen. It takes a moment for Jughead to see the hole in his stomach. It takes  
another moment for the blood to start pouring, for Fangs to look down, for the other Serpents  
to realise what’s just happened.  
‘Get help!’  
Sweet Pea is too busy staring at Reggie. At the gun on the floor. He doesn’t hear Jughead  
until the Serpent Prince slaps him across the face and screams, ‘Get help!’  
Other serpents get wind of what’s just happened, and swarm towards what’s left of the  
crowd- throwing bricks and bottles and punches.

It’s all Jughead can do to keep pressure on the wound.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	57. Chapter 57

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH MY GOD! IT'S FINALLY HERE! EPISODE 21! (If you guys aren't hyped as hell at least I am, I hope you enjoy this madness!)

PART 1:

Her father never shows his face. After a couple hours of sitting, waiting patiently, Betty is sure he’s somewhere in the shadows, taunting her. The kids never stop kicking, either. Eventually she gets tired and walks home, keeping her hand on the gun the entire way. 

Her phone rings just as she sits back in her room, unsure what to do, awkwardly looking through her bag of evidence. 

‘Cheryl?’ 

‘The Black Hood just attacked me at Thistlehouse.’ 

‘Oh my God! Cheryl, I know this is probably an insane question and I’ll explain everything later, but is it- was it my dad?’ 

‘What kind of a question is that? But... yes. Based on waistline alone, it could've been him, yes. Luckily, I was able to get to my archery set and hunting cape.’ 

Betty’s heart drops. 

‘You didn't kill him, did you?’ 

‘No.’ Betty releases a breath she hadn’t realised she’d been holding. The triplets kick with excitement within her. ‘I shot to wound, hit him in the right shoulder. He's fled into the woods, where I plan to track him. But just in case he escapes my clutches, be forewarned. Now that he's a maimed animal, he's operating on instinct, ready to lash out and kill anyone in his path, even his loved ones.’ 

Cheryl hangs up, assuring Betty she’ll be fine at Thistlehouse. 

At least this explains why Hal never turned up to the Town Hall. Betty’s heart palpitates. Where could he have gone? Where would she go, if she was wounded? Betty’s eyes widen as she grabs her purse, once more rushing out the door. 

…. 

‘Elizabeth, thank goodness!’ The Register is just as busy as ever, with her mother buzzing between interns writing news reports as they come in from all around town. 

‘Mom, are you okay?’ Betty looks around. ‘Have you seen Dad?’ 

‘He's out covering the riots.’ Alice looks up from a video of a group of young men lighting a dumpster on fire. ‘Honey, you’ll stay here, won’t you? The streets aren't safe. You need to stay put here.’ 

‘I will if you will, mom.’ Betty folds her arms, feeling sick as a gang of men with baseball bats rush past the window. Her mother scoffs at her clear fear. 

‘I'm not going anywhere. It's a big night for The Register. If it bleeds, it leads. Sit down and stay sat.’  
…. 

Once her mother is safely satisfied that Betty isn’t going to run amok outside, Betty sneaks into the bathroom and makes a quick phone call. She notices two missed messages from Jughead, but now isn’t the time for that. 

‘Cheryl, any new leads?’ 

‘Where are you right now?’ 

‘I'm at The Register, why?’ 

‘He's exited the forest and he's headed for the houses beyond the pines. Maybe even yours.’ 

‘I have to go.’ Betty’s already packing up. She has to find her father. She has to find the answers first. If there was ever a night to find out your father is a serial killer, it’s tonight. There's a dull ache in her back from the weight of rushing around town with the triplets. 

‘Wait, cousin.’ Cheryl’s voice crackles slightly over the bad connection. ‘Do not go into that house alone.’ 

‘I have to find my dad before anyone else does. Otherwise, he's a dead man walking.’ 

‘I don’t care.' Cheryl snaps. 'Your boyfriend and my girlfriend are close. So, if you get hurt, he gets hurt, she gets hurt. Take care of yourself.’ 

‘I will, Cheryl. Thank-’ 

The redhead hangs up before Betty can properly finish. She sighs. Then she feels it- a strong cramp in her abdomen. She has to hurry.  
…. 

Betty manages to make it home in one piece- at one point a man with a hammer swaggers up to her, but she flashes the gun and he walks away with no problem. 

She’s not sure what she expects at home- a bloodbath, broken glass, but there’s nothing. Not a speck of dust out of place. Her phone rings. 

‘Hello? Betty, it's FP. I'm at Riverdale General, is Jug with you?’ 

‘Mr. Jones, no, I- I don't know where he is.’ Her mind sparks with irritation- maybe at herself, maybe at Jughead. Maybe that what she suspects is happening has decided to happen right now, of all times.

‘All right, if you see him, you tell him I'm looking for him, okay?’ 

‘Of course, I will.’ 

‘Also, uh...’ F.P. pauses, an awkward strain to his voice. ‘Betty, they just brought your old man into the ER.’ 

Betty’s heart stops. Then returns with a vendetta. 

‘My dad? Is he hurt badly?’ 

‘I don't know. He's bleeding quite a bit. You want me to check on him?’ 

‘No. That's okay, Mr. Jones. I'm on my way.’ 

So much for staying put. 

…. 

The hospital is a chaotic mess of people looking for loved ones and enemies alike. Betty manages to make it to the front by virtue of her massive bump. Not to mention, her cramps are getting stronger. When she talks, her voice quavers more than she thought it would. 

‘Excuse me? Um, my dad is here? Hal Cooper, what room is he in?’ 

‘Uh, 221. Just down the hall.’ 

Betty runs as much as her pregnancy will allow her, but the man in 221 is not Hal Cooper. 

Instead, it’s Dr Masters. Several red entry wounds decorate his chest. Betty wants to cry, but instead she jumps as the phone rings once more. 

‘We keep missing each other.’ The voice on the other end isn’t her father. It’s the Black Hood. 

‘You murdered Dr. Masters?’ 

‘He asked too many questions.’ 

‘So there's no method to the killing, now?' Betty winces, overtaken by a particularly strong cramp. 'No grand design? You're just a run-of-the-mill psychopath?’ 

‘You need to come home, Betty. So we can talk and finish this.’ 

I was *just* there! She wants to scream, but instead she sticks her chin out. 

‘Fine. You don't scare me.’ 

‘Your mother's here.’ 

Betty freezes, catching eyes with the corpse in the room. She quickly studies the floor. 

‘What? Mom's there?’ 

A whole new risk factor. Something she hadn‘t anticipated. Dangerous. 

‘If you're not home in 10 minutes, or if you call the police, I will slit your mother's throat in the middle of the living room.’ 

‘No.’ It’s a small gasp, before she hangs up and starts running as fast as she can. 

…. 

‘Mom? Mom, where are you?’ 

Alice is holding a cup of tea and reclining on the sofa when Betty returns home- not in any one of the nightmare scenarios running through Betty’s mind did this happen. 

‘Oh. Betty, thank God you're okay. - I've been calling you. Where have you been?’ 

‘Mom, is Dad here? Quick, is he here or is he not? Where is he?’ 

‘Yeah, honey. Why?' Betty starts pulling her mother up, quietly muttering. ‘What- What's going on?’ 

‘We have to go.’ 

‘What?’ 

‘We have to leave!’ Betty shushes her mother. ‘We have to go-’ 

Hal’s voice cuts through the fear in the room, bright and jovial- her father. Betty can’t understand how he can be two people at once, and it terrifies her. What would this man do to her? Her family? If he had the chance? 

‘Betty! You made it home.’ 

Alice smiles as she pulls Betty to sit beside her. Betty has to try hard not to panic. She can only just about hide the pain from the contractions now. It's too early. Maybe it's just Braxton Hicks. It has to be.

‘Your dad had some crazy idea to show us old home movies. I figured we'd indulge him, since we're practically on lock-down anyway. What's wrong?’ 

Betty can’t stop staring at her father. Blood seeping through his shirt from his shoulder. Subtle, but she can see it. Why hasn’t Alice noticed it? Is she crazy? 

‘Well, I'm just happy we're all here. As a family. Relax, Betty. I think you're really going to enjoy this.’ Hal grins, messing with the family projector. 

The lights turn down, and a picture of a young Hal Cooper flickers to the screen. Sat on a chair in the basement, expressionless. Betty’s grandmother speaks from behind the camera, an invisible puppetmaster: 

‘Now, remember, I'm making this movie so we never forget what your daddy sacrificed for us. You do love your daddy, don't you, Harold?’ 

‘Yes, Mom.’ Her father stares blankly at the camera. Betty looks over at him currently, smiling vaguely at the screen. 

‘And you want your daddy to keep living with us?’ 

‘Yes, Mom.’ 

‘I don't understand, what are we watching?’ Alice leans forward, squinting. ‘Is that you, Hal?’ 

‘It is.’ 

‘Your daddy did something very noble, Harold. He took care of that Conway family. They were sinners. And what happens to sinners?’ 

‘Sinners have to die.’ 

‘Oh, my God!’ Alice exclaims. ‘What is this, a snuff film?’ 

‘Shut the hell up, Alice, for once in your life!’ Alice sits back, shooting her husband a confused look. He’s never snapped at her once; not in 25 years of marriage. 

‘That's right. Now, That little Conway boy who survived, they're going to ask him who killed his family. He needs to point out somebody, anybody, but not Daddy. Because we don't want Daddy to be taken away from us, do we?’ 

Both Hals shake their heads. 

‘No, I love my daddy.’ 

‘So you have to help him. Make sure that when they ask the Conway boy who he saw kill his family, make sure he doesn't say Daddy. Can you do that, Harold? Convince him?’ 

‘...I think so.’ 

‘You're a good boy, Hal. Your father let him escape, but you, you will do better. You must do better.’ 

The words echo around Betty’s head. The same words she wrote of her own accord.... She had no idea she was echoing her own old ancestral line. 

Hal speaks without looking away from the projector, which has run out of tape, projecting blankness to match his face. 

‘Take out your tape-recorder, Alice. I need you to record this.’ 

Alice is still putting two and two together. It's more painful that Betty's contractions. ‘The Conways, that was the family that was murdered 40 years ago?’ 

‘Yes.’ Betty lets quiet tears fall. ‘Oh, my God!’ 

‘Take it out! And I want to tell my story. No, our story, really. First, to clear something up. Your Great-Grandpappy Cooper wasn't murdered by his brother, like some dog. He was the killer. He killed Great-Grandpappy Blossom and then took on the Cooper name to create a new identity for himself. For us.’ 

‘What does that have to do with the Conways?’ 

‘The Conways knew our secret. And Mr. Conway blackmailed my father, your Grandpappy. Them? The Conways knew our secret.’ 

‘They were sinners, Betty.’ 

‘Even the children?’ Betty feels a clench in her gut. She wants to run, but she wants to live. 

‘Well, there was one survivor. The Conways' boy, Joseph.’ 

‘Mr. Svenson, who you convinced to accuse an innocent man.’ 

‘Joseph was easy to man manipulate as a boy and as a man.’ 

‘What are you telling us? Hal?’ 

‘That I have a darkness, Alice. The same darkness my father had, the same darkness his father had. And now, it lives in Betty. Our daughter.’ He chuckles, walking over to Betty and smiling. ‘Who am I, Betty? Say it.’ His voice gradually grows louder. ‘Say who I am!’ 

‘You're the Black Hood.’ There it is. No more denial. She can see the catharsis on her father’s face as his eyes roll back in his head for a moment. She cringes in pain, wracked by the longest contraction yet. Her father ignores it.

‘That's right. Now say what I did.’ 

‘You shot Mr. Andrews. You killed Ms. Grundy, the Sugarman, Midge, Dr. Masters - But the debate-’ 

‘Was not me. I can't take credit for that.’ 

The room is quiet for a moment. Hal gets up once more and starts to pace, head down, occasionally glancing at his wife and daughter with a strange fire in his eyes. 

‘Dad, why did you become the Black Hood?’ 

He looks at Betty like she’s gone insane. Maybe she has. 

‘'Cause this is a town of sinners, Betty. And Sinners have to die. Your speech at the Jubilee. Riverdale must do better. We must do better. You will do better. You must do better... reminded me of a promise that I'd made to my mother. That this town will do better. We must do better. So I picked up my father's sword, and I continued the work that he and my grandfather started. The purging of sin.’ 

‘No...’ Alice whispers, half to herself. ‘None of this makes any sense.’ 

Betty cries out in pain, before looking at the recorder on the coffee table.

‘Dad, why did you want all of this recorded?’ 

‘I want everyone to understand. When they find us.’ 

Hal looks his daughter in the eye for a long moment. She doesn’t move, and neither does he. 

Betty wishes she had something to say to that, but her hands are frozen to her lap. Her gun is beside her, but she doesn’t have the courage to reach for it- what if her father were to wrestle it from her? Then she’d have done half his job for him. Instead, she simply nods, pretending it all makes sense. 

…. 

There's a long moment of silence between the Coopers as Betty and Alice process what’s just been said. Hal is a murderer. Worse, he was trained to be a murderer. That’s the whole story. There’s nothing left to find out in this mystery, until Alice stands up and crosses her arms, glaring at her husband. 

‘Well, Hal, I can't say I'm surprised.’ 

Hal turns to her, head cocked to one side. 

‘I always knew you were a Mama's boy.’ 

‘What did you say?’ His voice is low, like the rumble of a volcano about to erupt. 

‘You heard me. I knew it. I knew you couldn't do anything for yourself.’ 

Betty murmurs, ‘Mom, whatever you're doing, I wouldn't.’ 

‘All I'm doing is I'm pointing out that your father can't do anything right.’ Alice rolls her eyes. ‘-Not even be a serial killer! Cleansing the town of sin? Really, Hal, you're the damn sinner!’ 

‘Mom-’ Betty realises her mother isn’t about to back down. Screw it. If she wants to die first, that’s her decision. Her mother starts talking again as Betty’s eyes wander to her purse, and then past it, to the pokers near the fireplace. It seems natural to keep her father at arms length. Easier than wrestling for control of a gun. 

‘What are you going to do, Hal?’ Alice paces in circles around her husband. ‘Are you going to kill the entire town? Whoever's jaywalked?’ She chuckles wryly. ‘What did Fred Andrews do to deserve to get shot?’ 

‘He was an adulterer.’ 

Alice rolls her eyes.

‘Oh, then why don't you kill yourself? You had a fling with Penelope Blossom.’ Hal steps closer to Alice as they growl at each other. Betty uses the distraction to inch towards the fireplace, one eye on the poker and one eye on her parents. ‘Or me, for that matter, since I stepped out on you with FP, who, in every way that you're not, is a real man.’ 

Hal loses it. His eyes darken and he snarls, hands reaching Alice’s neck and strangling her before she has a chance to stop him. She beats feebly at his arms- a strong woman in mind, not in muscle. He backs her up against the wall, unaware that Betty is right behind him- 

CRASH! 

The blunt end of a poker crashes onto his head, and Hal’s body crumples to the ground. Alice snatches the poker from her daughter and hits him a couple more times, for good measure or old time’s sake. 

The next half-hour is a blur- ambulance, police, flashing lights- the perfect thing to complete the chaos of the night is Betty’s father being led out of the house in handcuffs, blood oozing from his shoulder and a large cut above his eye. 

Archie and Fred come over to comfort the women. 

‘It was him, Arch. My dad was the Black Hood.’ Betty can hardly look her best friend in the eyes. 

‘How did you- Did- did you see him leave my house? He tried to shoot my dad again.’ 

Betty frowns. ‘When?’ 

‘An hour ago.’ 

She shakes her head, confusing interrupting her emotional exhaustion. ‘No, no, no. That's impossible, he was here with us.’ 

The realisation is interrupted by Betty’s phone and another contraction- this one so strong that she cries out. She’s relieved at the name on the screen, answering before Archie can ask any questions.  
Finally. 

‘Jug?’ 

‘Betty.’ She feels him smile through the phone, giving her strength. The kids kick with happiness. ‘I'm happy to hear your voice.’ 

Me, too, Jug.’ Betty looks at her father, being driven away to jail. ‘You have no idea.’ 

There’s an odd pause. Betty wishes she knew where he was, how his night was going, all of a sudden. 

‘I just want to let you know that I love you. And I'll never stop loving you. And the kids. Fuck, Betty. Make sure they know their dad- that their dad loves them.’ 

Her heart skips a beat. Betty can’t feel her legs for a moment, floating in anxiety. ‘What are you saying, Jug? Where are you?’ 

‘I'll see you soon.’ 

Click.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what did you guys think? Also, quick note: I edited a sentence of last weeks chapter. Betty is now 8 and a half months pregnant, not 7. 
> 
> Aaaaahhhhh, I can't believe this is all coming to an end soon!
> 
> AAAAAHHHH, I can't believe the babies are coming!
> 
> AAAAaaaaaAAAAAAhhhhHHHHH! I can't believe Jughead could be such an idiot! (A handsome, lovable idiot, but still!)
> 
> Tune in next week for Jughead's side of the story!
> 
> Hope you guys are enjoying this. Please let me know what you think!


	58. Chapter 58

The hospital is already full of people from the riot outside. This is a chaos Riverdale hasn’t seen in decades. 

But there’s no time for Jughead to be poetic as he runs through the corridor, Serpents carrying Fangs limping after him. 

‘Help us! We need a doctor!’ 

The receptionist sees the serpent jackets on him and Fangs and smiles, stress behind her eyes. 

‘Wait your turn, please.’ 

‘He was shot!’ Jughead can’t quite process what’s happening around him. He needs to find Fangs a doctor. This is a hospital. Why won’t she help? 

‘I need you to step back-’ 

‘He's dying!’ 

‘Hey, what's going on here?’ A man in a white coat who Jughead recognises. Betty’s doctor. Thank god. 

‘My friend was shot, right in the stomach.’ 

The doctor’s face is grave as he gently takes in Fang’s wound and calls over the nurses. 

‘Hey, get me a gurney. Here, here, here. Lift up, lift up. Let's go. Hang in there, hang in there.’ 

Jughead’s feet start moving the second Fangs is wheeled into surgery- back out into the fray. He can only see red. He thought he’d gone too far when he hit Chic- no. That wasn’t crossing the line. The line is the speckled trail of Fang’s blood, leading right out the door and back to the jail. 

He needs to find who’s responsible. 

A hand on his shoulder stops him, however. Jughead whirls around and is confronted by the tearful eyes of F.P. 

‘Jug, where do you think you're going?’ 

‘To find the guy who shot Fangs.’ Jughead tries to break free of his father’s grip, but F.P. holds him, frowning. 

‘You're not going out there.’ Jughead tries to shove his father away, but to no avail. ‘Not with people rioting.’ 

He finally breaks out of his father’s grip and rushes to the door, but F.P. beats him to it. 

‘Look, you're angry, you want justice. So do I.’ F.P.’s hands are gentle but firm on his son’s shoulders once again. ‘But you've got a fallen soldier here, boy, and we need to talk to his family. It's part of being a leader.’ 

Being a leader. Jughead scoffs. 

‘Some leader I am.’ 

F.P.’s expression hardens as he begins to lead his son down the hallway, back to the other Serpents. 

‘Don't go down that road. All right, come on. Come on.’ 

Only his father sees Jughead cry. By the time they reach the end of the hallway, he’s once more the Serpent Prince- stoic and brave. 

…. 

Fang’s parents can’t move from where Jughead left them in the waiting room. Nobody knows who they are- they're just two worried parents in a sea of pale faces and tear-streaked cheeks. But he’s their leader, and that means he has to be the one to ask the nurse. 

‘Excuse me, ma'am. How's Fangs Fogarty?’ 

‘He's still in surgery.’ 

Sheriff Minetta walks in, grabbing the nurses’ attention. 

‘I'll want to talk to him as soon as he wakes up.’ 

Jughead’s blood boils. Of all the places to be on a riot night- why the hospital? Riverdale is on fire outside. 

‘Sheriff Minetta....’ Jughead has to search for a moment, swallowing his rage. Be a leader. ‘Shouldn't you be on the street looking for who shot Fangs?’ 

‘There's already a manhunt underway.’ Minetta smirks. ‘Your little Serpent pals aren't making things easy, though. Rioting, carousing, terrorizing the neighborhood. Already arrested a few.’ 

F.P. materialises behind Jughead and snarls, 

‘Fangs wouldn't have a slug in his gut if you'd done your job in the first place.’ 

Minetta steps forward, eyes narrowing. 

‘I don't know the details of your parole, Mr. Jones, but I'm certain harassing an officer would violate them.’ 

F.P. chuckles at that, eyes glowing dark like flintstones. While they stare each other down, Jughead takes the chance to escape- part of being a leader is serving justice, and if the goddamn Sheriff isn’t prepared to do that- well, someone has to. 

He’s out of the hospital before F.P. looks over his shoulder.   
…. 

First things first- he runs back to his trailer. The Southside is in flames and glass shards all around him, splattering like shiny blood into the air and onto the concrete. Windows break and lives are threatened, but he can only see what’s in his tunnel-vision. 

Have to get home. Have to make things right. 

His phone buzzes. And his heart skips. Betty? No. Archie. 

‘Archie, what the hell is going on?’ 

‘The Serpents are going nuts.’ 

‘Yeah. It looks like your old pal Reggie shot Fangs!’ 

‘No, dude, I was with Reggie when it happened, it wasn't him. So you need to call off your crew.’ 

‘Try telling them that. Sweet Pea has a different story to me, you have a different story to both of us- there isn’t enough time-’ 

‘We're just leaving Reggie's house now.’ 

‘Did they find him?’ Jughead’s heart misses a beat. 

‘No, he wasn't home.’ Sigh of relief. 

‘We're headed to the high school now. That's where Mrs. Mantle said they were going.’ 

‘Okay, I'm on my way.’ 

He pauses, just for a moment. I have to call Betty. I have to make sure she’s okay. 

She doesn’t answer- not that he blames her- so he leaves a message. He can’t control the words as they pour out of his mouth. 

‘Betty, I’m sorry for what I said earlier. I didn’t mean to worry you. No matter what happens, I love you. Fangs wasn’t shot by Reggie, but I don’t know who did it yet, and I have to find out. I’m meeting Archie right now, but just... I love you. Also, don’t name the boy Forsythe. It’s a shitty name. I love you.’ 

…. 

‘You're too late, Jughead.’ Archie looks as tired as Jughead feels by the time Jughead manages to rush across the town. 

‘Well, you try Mad Max-ing your way through a riot.’ He scoffs. ‘What happened in the school?’ 

‘Weatherbee shut us down. And kicked our asses out. Then the Serpents took off again.’ 

Jughead grits his teeth in frustration. 

‘Do you know where?’ 

‘Yeah, they went down to Fernleaf.’ Jughead frowns. ‘Probably to Midge Klump's house.’ 

‘Why there?’ 

Archie’s turn to look apprehensive. 

‘To trash it. Because I told them Mrs. Klump shot Fangs, not Reggie.’ Archie hangs his head. ‘Jughead, you have to coax them off the ledge.’ 

‘Yeah, I'm on it.’ Jughead is about to start running again, but Archie calls after him. 

‘Wait - You spoken to Betty?’ 

‘Last I heard, she's with her mom. At the register.’ Jughead nods. ‘Keep in touch.’   
…. 

Fernleaf used to be one of the best neighbourhoods in Riverdale. The kind of upstanding neighbourhood where he might have liked to raise his family one day. Free of crime. Now it’s indistinguishable from the Southside, as people run everywhere with bats, setting the white picket fences on fire, everyone yelling or screaming... It’s hell on Earth. 

He finds the Serpents before they get to Midge’s street. 

Sweet Pea is bleeding heavily from his nose, one eye swollen shut. His switchblade is out and even as he staggers forward it’s swinging, ready to inflict severe damage on anyone who tries to stop him. 

Until Jughead steps in front of him, holding his shoulders. 

‘Sweet Pea, look at yourself! Look at all of us!’ He makes eye contact with the other serpents and sees they’re all in similar states of disrepair. 

‘We need Justice!’ Says one, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the floor. 

‘And we’ll get it!’ Jughead growls. ‘But not tonight! What is the sixth law?’ 

‘IN UNITY, THERE IS STRENGTH!’ They scream together. A car blows up down the street. 

‘I can’t hear you!’ 

‘IN UNITY, THERE IS STRENGTH!’ 

‘So are we going to leave Fangs and his family to fend for themselves?’ 

‘NO!’ 

‘THEN FOLLOW ME!’ 

They all hop into one of the younger Serpent’s trucks and speed back towards the hospital. Jughead almost passes out in the back seat, tiredness sneaking up on him. It’s almost two AM, and the night is far from over. 

…. 

His phone buzzes the instant he sits down. Archie. 

‘Jughead, where the hell are you guys?’ 

‘I just got the Serpents back to the Hospital. Mrs. Klump's house is secure. What's wrong?’ 

‘Well, if the Serpents are with you, then who the hell is out here at Pop's?’ There’s a pause. Glass shatters. ‘Oh, crap. Jug?’ 

‘That's right, I'm here.’ 

‘Looks like the Ghoulies are back in town.’ 

Oh, fuck. There won’t be any sleep tonight, Jughead thinks as Sweet Pea turns and realises there’s something wrong. 

‘What is it?’ 

‘Ghoulies.’ Jughead can’t lie. He doesn’t even have the energy to pretend the situation might turn positive. ‘They’re converging on Pops.’ 

‘Shit!’ Sweet Pea looks at him. ‘We have to stop them.’ 

‘The hell you do!’ Jughead grabs Sweet Pea by the arm and drags him back to the waiting area. ‘Look, I’ll call My dad, Archie’s dad, and Sheriff Keller. They’ll sort them out.’ 

‘I can't just sit here!’ 

Jughead sits up straighter, snapping, 

‘You don't have a choice, Sweet Pea. You're staying put.’ 

‘You said it yourself, the Ghoulies are back!’ 

‘We will deal with them. As soon as my dad gets back-’ 

‘Oh, so you're not our leader all of a sudden? Oh, no, that's right, you're just the guy who got Fangs shot!’ 

Jughead stands up and growls, 

‘Watch it.’ 

Sweet Pea, to put it lightly, does not ‘watch it’. 

‘And now, Fangs might die! And the Ghoulies are out for our blood because of a drag race *you* started.’ 

Jughead’s mind is forced into overdrive. It’s usually so easy, but right now, thinking is like moving through Jell-o. He’s ready to give up. But he plucks an idea out of the ether- an abstract idea that’ll never work, but an idea nonetheless. 

‘An hour. That's all I'm asking for, Sweet Pea.’ 

Betty’s going to kill me.   
…. 

He leaves another message with Betty- this one riddled with asking for forgiveness- and what names might be good for the girl. Something as silly as what wallpaper he would’ve picked for the nursery. 

Still, when the phone rings, he’s surprised at how fast he picks up. He just wishes it was anyone else on the other end of the line. 

‘Hello, lover boy. It's your old gal pal.’ 

‘Penny?’ He scoffs. ‘You picked a really bad time.’ 

‘Oh, I heard.’ He can feel her feline smile through the phone. ‘Riverdale, burning to the ground? It's tragic. How about we meet up and talk about it, hmm? Your old hangout, by the docks?’ 

‘Why the hell would I do that?’ 

‘Because if you don't, I'll start carving up your girlfriend's face.’ 

His heart stops. Penny needs to die. 

‘Betty?’ 

‘Oh, please. Ponytail's a snooze!’ Penny chuckles. ‘No, I mean your Southside Smurfette. What do you think I should start with?’ 

‘Tell her to go to hell, Jughead!’ Toni screams from the other end of the line. There’s a slapping noise before Penny’s voice returns, smug and smooth, 

‘Hmm, maybe her tongue, huh? Come now. And alone. It'll just be me and Pinkie here.’ 

…. 

‘Hi, Jones.’ Penny is chewing on something when Jughead arrives. She’s sat next to a bonfire and a tied-up Toni. His eyes quickly scan over Toni for any blood, damage, but she looks mostly intact. 

‘Toni, are you okay?’ 

‘Jughead, she's not alone.’ 

Ghoulies emerge from every shadow, covered in war paint and grinning like the puppets they are. Jughead frowns at Penny. 

‘You said it was just going to be the two of us.’ 

‘I never go anywhere without back-up any more.’ Penny snarls ‘Not after what you did to me. Besides, we need to talk, all of us. 

‘There's nothing to talk about.’ Jughead says. ‘I'm taking Toni and we're leaving.’ 

‘Not so fast!’ A Ghoulie whose name he can’t remember stands in his way, powering up a taser. ‘I've been waiting to see you again for a long time.’ 

‘Get back, you hobgoblin!’ Cheryl says, emerging from the forest with her bow aimed. Jughead allows a small smile onto his face. 

‘I brought back-up, too. Like I said, I'm taking Toni, and we're leaving.’ 

‘Untie her, you Serpent hag.’ Cheryl adds. 

Penny rolls her eyes, bored. ‘Take her, then. But remember, when all your friends are dead, I tried giving you a chance.’ 

Jughead helps Toni up, untying her. He glares at Penny. 

‘Why do you keep coming back? What do you want?’ 

‘The Southside.’ Penny shrugs. ‘There's money to be made here in "The Town With Pep"... if you're not afraid of getting your hands dirty.’ 

‘So you're partnering with the Ghoulies to sell drugs on the Southside?’ 

Penny clicks her tongue. 

‘Bingo. So, here's the offer I want you to take back to your dad and your tribe: the Serpents ship out tonight, or it's a showdown with the Ghoulies at Pickens Park at dawn. I'm fine either way.’ 

…. 

It’s not an easy thing to explain to the other Serpents back at the Whyte Wyrm. Sweet Pea is aflame with rage, pacing back and forth and snarling, 

‘It's time we end the Ghoulie scourge and that traitor, Penny Peabody, permanently!’ 

Jughead tries not to roll his eyes, but really, who could blame him at this point? 

‘Sweet Pea, two hours ago your fight was with Reggie Mantle. Now you want us to go to war over territory that we don't even control anymore?’ He sighs, leaning back against a pool table. ‘This is Hiram Lodge's problem, not ours.’ 

Sweet Pea whirls on him, ready to start a fistfight, when Toni speaks out from the sidelines. 

‘So you're just gonna hand over Sunnyside Trailer Park, our home, to Penny and the Ghoulies?’ 

Jughead steps forward, angry as hell. 

‘Toni, I don't want us to die. A rumble with the Ghoulies right now? It's a suicide-run.’ 

‘It's better than a coward's death!’ Sweet Pea steps up to Jughead, their faces inches apart. 

‘Don’t call me a coward!’ 

‘Don't we have to defend ourselves?’ 

The two men are about to rip each other’s heads off when F.P. intervenes, eyes red and pensive. 

‘That's enough!’ The room is silent for a long moment as every Serpent eye turns to their king as he stalks to the centre of the room, voice low. ‘I just got a call from the Sheriff's office. Fangs, uh... He didn't make it. He's gone.’ 

‘Fangs is dead?’ Sweet Pea chokes. 

This changes everything. There’s no way to keep the peace now. Jughead wants the earth to open up and swallow him, but that would be far too convenient at this point. 

‘And we will mourn him, hell yeah, we will.’ F.P. speaks. ‘But first, we will honour him. From what I just heard, it sounds like we need to put it to a vote. All those against going to war with the Ghoulies?’ Several hands shoot up. Not enough. Jughead knows his hand won’t be enough to sway them. ‘And all those for giving them hell on the battlefield tomorrow?’ 

It might as well be unanimous. Jughead storms out into the flames of the Southside. 

…. 

Back at the trailer, Jughead tries to reason with his father. 

‘This is a mistake. You can see that, right? We'd be going in blind, Dad. Would you listen to me for two seconds? For all we know, the Ghoulies outnumber us one hundred to one.’ 

‘Don't you think I know that?’ F.P. knocks the glasses off of the table, squaring up to his son and looking him in the eye, dangerously close to losing his cool. After a moment, he shakes his head and cries out in frustration. 

‘Boy, I've been doing this a lot longer than you have. And we voted. If we're going down, we're going down fighting. As for being outnumbered... I'll rally the reserves. They'll fight.’ 

F.P. heads out of the trailer to make good on his promise, leaving Jughead alone to sit at the table. He finds himself looking at his murder board. Everything about Hiram Lodge and the Black Hood crashing over him in a ceaseless torrent of chaos, making his mind begin to buzz and squirm and scream. 

He takes out his phone, removing the case. Inside are photographs- him and Betty’s first date, their first awkward selfie together when they both failed to fit into the camera’s view... the ultrasound images. His kids. His kids that he’s failing right now, going into a war he knows he can’t win. Jughead takes his beanie off and sighs, running his hands through his hair, imaging Betty there with him... until he realises that she can’t be. 

Something clicks. He knows what he has to do. 

Calling Hiram Lodge is the last thing he wants to do, but it’s the only thing left. 

‘This is Hiram.’ 

Jughead keeps his eyes on Betty’s smile. 

‘Fangs getting arrested, the riot, the Ghoulies showing up the night of the riot, with Penny in tow... None of this is happenstance. ‘ 

‘Jughead, I genuinely have no idea what you're talking about.’ 

‘You've been buying up everything you could. But you couldn't buy us, so you paid the Ghoulies and Penny to go to war with the Serpents. To finally get rid of us once and for all. How much is this costing you?’ 

‘I'm hanging up now.’ 

‘I have a counter offer.’ 

‘...I'm listening.’   
…. 

Jughead nears the woods where Toni was being held. He sees the bonfire and backs away several feet, into the darkness behind a tree. He can’t do this. Not yet. He hopes his phone doesn’t give him away, because he needs to hear her voice. No matter how selfish that is. 

‘Jug?’ He breathes a sigh of relief. She’s safe. She sounds out of breath. In pain. This night has had a toll on everybody. He thinks of holding her in his arms again, before he remembers why he’s here. Why he’s calling. 

‘Betty... I'm happy to hear your voice.’ His mind swims with what he should tell her. What do you say to someone in a time like this? He searches for a joke and realises he’s about to face the punchline. And nothing about it is funny. 

‘Me, too, Jug. You have no idea.’ 

He swallows. Improvises. 

‘I just want to let you know that I love you. And I'll never stop loving you. And the kids. Fuck, Betty. Make sure they know their dad- that their dad loves them.’ 

‘What are you saying, Jug?’ He winces at the worry in her voice. ‘Where are you?’ 

‘I'll see you soon.’ 

He hangs up and tosses his phone to the ground- no sense leaving it in his pocket for the Ghoulies. They want it? They can scour the woods for it like the rats they are. 

He walks toward the fire, as a stupid nursery rhyme his mother used to sing plays through his head. 

‘Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall 

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall 

All the king’s horses and all the king’s men 

Couldn’t put Humpty together again.’ 

He hopes Betty will be able to put herself back together again. At the moment, he’s not liking his own odds. 

I love you, Betty. I love our kids. I wish we could’ve had a life with them. 

Penny waits, surrounded by Ghoulies as he approaches. More file out of the shadows as she stands up, ready to conduct her gruesome theatre. 

‘The Sacrificial Lamb arrives!’ 

The Ghoulies around her chuckle, and Jughead scoffs, too tired for this Aslan-type shit. 

‘I'll remind you of the deal that I made with your boss, Hiram Lodge. I hand myself over to you tonight, and there's no bloodshed tomorrow.’ 

Penny smirks. 

‘Apparently, getting you out of the picture is more important to him than all-out Serpent annihilation.’ 

Jughead notices the Ghoulies have finally stopped filtering out of the darkness around him, forming a circle around him and Penny instead. 

‘30-to-1. Are you that afraid of me?’ 

A Ghoulie steps out of the crowd, sniggering, 

'The only scary thing is what we're going to do to your girlfriend when we find her.’ 

Jughead lands the first punch- he's proud of that- but the return is brutal. As is the next 29 rounds, all playing out at once. He tastes copper. Blood. Darkness rings his vision. Pain. Is this what dying feels like? 

Over the sound of his own grunts and punches, he can hear Penny yelling. 

‘You're a true hero, Jughead! Let your dying thought be that your sacrifice was for nothing. And that come morning, Riverdale as you know it will cease to exist.’ 

His eyes are swollen shut already. He wants to think noble thoughts. Wishes he was that selfless. But the last thing he sees before thoughts fade away is the faint outline of Betty's face, frozen mid-laugh in Pops. Penny's breath fans hot across his face as she murmurs, 

‘Don't finish him off yet, guys. I want my pound of flesh first.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part 2. I hope you guys enjoyed. 
> 
> It's gonna be a fun time next week. I have three very special surprises I can't wait for you all to meet ^_^.
> 
> Thanks so much for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Well! Looks like that's a curveball even poor old Juggie wasn't expecting! Please let me know what you think and if you'd like to see another chapter. Constructive criticism/ extreme Bughead fangirling is appreciated.


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